Power crisis starts easing

The power supply situation has started to improve in the country following steps taken by the authorities concerned after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s directives to this end.

A ship carrying 50,000 tonnes of coal has arrived at Chattogram Port from Indonesia to feed the 660MW capacity Unit-1 of Rampal Power Plant. Of the coal, 26,620 tonnes has already reached the plant.

Besides, another ship of the same capacity will reach Bangladesh soon.

Three more ships loaded with 60,000 tonnes of coal each for S Alam-sponsored power plant will arrive in Chattogram on June 15.

A coal-loaded ship for Payra Power Plant will also arrive in the country later this month.

“So, I can assure you that the power supply crisis is gradually being over….it’ll be fully over within two weeks,” Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) Chairman Md Mahbubur Rahman said on Saturday.

He said the supply of gas to efficient power plants have also been increased significantly to take the generation to 6,600MW against the capacity of 11,500MW.

“We’ve taken initiative to increase production from gas-based combined cycle power plants like Bibiyana-3 and Bhola Nutun Power Plant,” the BPDB chairman said, adding that they may increase the production by additional 2,000-2,500MW subject to availability of additional gas.

Besides, the generation will be increased from fuel-based power plants following the initiative, he added.

“We’ve taken steps to increase supply from Adani power plant as well as from S Alam power plant,” Mahbubur added.

He said over 400-500MW of electricity has been added to the national grid following the immediate initiative.

The BPDB chairman said the power supply will be increased if the crisis over opening letter of credit (LC) for fuel import for electricity is removed.  

He admitted that Tk 360 billion outstanding bills in both public and private sector electricity purchase have overburdened BPDB.

Talking over the matter, Bangladesh-India Friendship Power Plant Managing Director Engineer Sayeed Akram Ullah said though ships are coming with coal from Indonesia to feed the 660MW Unit-1 of Rampal Power Plant with full capacity, Tk 1,800 crore in arrears remains as a concern.

“We have to immediately pay Tk 5 billion to IDC,” he said, adding that the rest of the payment will also have to be cleared soon to keep the electricity generation uninterrupted.

The unit presently produces 400MW of electricity and for this, around 3,000 tonnes of coal is required every day.