Everyone was relieved with electricity during the Eid holidays. At that time most of the institutions in the country were closed so the electricity demand was low. However, from the first day of Baisakh on April 14, the temperature started to rise in the country. Commercial establishments and industries have opened. The electricity demand is increasing every day. But electricity cannot be produced as per demand. The village people are suffering from load shedding in summer.
Sources from the Power Department, Power Development Board (PDB) and Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB) say that the power generation capacity in the country is about 26,000 megawatts. Average production is from 13 thousand to 15 thousand MW. The demand is from 13,500 to 16,000 MW. Last Monday also during the day about one and a half thousand megawatts of load shedding had to be done.
However, the two power distribution companies of Dhaka, DPDC and DESCO, said that there is no shortage of electricity supply in the capital. However, due to technical reasons, there is a power outage in some areas. Customers complain of not getting electricity for up to 30 minutes a day. PDB, Ojopadico, Nesco and REB supply electricity outside Dhaka. Among them, REB provides electricity to most rural areas of the country. Customers of this company are mainly suffering from load shedding. 55 percent of total electricity consumers are under this organization.
Official sources of REB say that their maximum load shedding was 690 MW last Saturday hour. It increased to 824 MW on Sunday. And yesterday it was about 1 thousand 300 MW. Their demand during the day yesterday was 8 thousand 800 MW. At this time, 7,500 megawatts were supplied. Load shedding has to be done in various areas to meet the deficit. Maximum load shedding is in Mymensingh region. After that, load shedding has to be done in Rangpur, Comilla, Rajshahi region and the surrounding districts of Dhaka.
PDB officials say that power generation has increased after increasing gas supply. Coal is also being produced at maximum capacity. However, due to the complexity of the outstanding bills of the power plant, it is not possible to produce at full speed from the oil-fired power plant. This leaves some supply shortfalls.
In Mymensingh, load shedding is more in rural areas than in urban areas. Lutfur Rahman, a resident of Pumbail village in Gouripur upazila of Mymensingh, said that the suffering has increased due to frequent load shedding of electricity in hot weather. Power goes off repeatedly during the day and night.
Mohammad Abul Kalam Azad, General Manager of Mymensingh Palli Vidyut Samity 3, said load shedding ranged from 24 percent to a maximum of 43 percent every hour during the day on Monday. Load shedding occurs when supply is less than demand. Higher authorities have been asked to increase supplies.
In Rangpur city, load shedding is 2 to 3 hours per area within 24 hours, but load shedding is more than 8 hours at village level under rural electricity. There is little electricity during the day, but the electricity is not available for a long time at night. Ashraful Alam of Navnidas village of Gangachara upazila of the district said that if there is one hour at night there is no electricity for two hours. However, some electricity is available during the day.
Khorshed Alam, deputy general manager of Rangpur Palli Vidyut Samiti-2 said, due to shortage of supply, load shedding has to be done for 8 hours in 24 hours.
Consumer rights organization Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) energy advisor M Shamsul Alam told Prothom Alo that power generation cannot be increased. Now the government is paying the rent of the power plant. And the supply deficit should not be imposed entirely on the villages but should be distributed to the cities as well. This will reduce the suffering of the village people in summer.
[Information assisted by Own Correspondent, Rangpur and Correspondent, Mymensingh]