An under-frequency problem caused from the lack of synchronisation between manual and automated systems in the national load dispatch centre caused the November 1's countrywide electricity blackout, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid said Wednesday.
"The inquiry committee believed that the existing half-manual, half-automated system in the national load dispatch centre that failed to handle the under-frequency problem has been the main reason for the nationwide grid failure," he told the newsmen at a press briefing in the secretariat.
The main focus has been on power generation without giving simultaneous attention to the other two segments, power transmission and distribution, he said spelling out the findings of the eight-member inquiry committee over the incident.
"The November 1 incident was a wake-up call for us to pay attention to transmission and distribution systems," he said.
The shortage of finance was the main reason for not giving much attention to the improvement of transmission and distribution systems, said Mr Hamid.
He said there are still chances for further such interruption until the system is upgraded through implementation of the recommendations.
"Most of the things in power generation and load dispatch are controlled manually which is always a big risk for a large transmission system," he said.
There is a huge communication gap between the power stations, power substations, grid substations and the load dispatch centres that prompted the grid failure within seconds, he said.
The inquiry committee prepared a set of recommendations after a wide and thorough investigation over the incident but did not say anything as exactly why and from which point the technical glitch generated.
They recommended for a number of short, medium and long-term recommendations to check further interruption in the national power grid system.
The recommendations include upgrading the current grid transmission system from manual to automatic and synchronising the timing watches at grid substations and power plants with the global positioning system (GPS), and also introducing information and communication technology (ICT)-based communication system.
The committee prepared a total of 32 recommendations, of which 22 are short-term and 10 are medium- and long-term.
Power Secretary Monowar Islam, Power Cell Director General Mohammad Hossain and other officials at the ministry concerned were present at the press briefing.
Earlier on November 6, Mr Hamid identified low voltage disturbance in electricity transmission line inside Bangladesh as the main culprit for the countrywide electricity blackout reversing from the initially estimated reason.
The Power Division at a press briefing on November 2, the next day of the blackout, had said that a technical glitch in the country's western grid was the culprit for the blackout.
The transmission line that brings electricity in the country's national grid from neighbouring India is located in the western grid.
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\\\'Under-frequency problem\\\' caused Nov 1 blackout
FE Report | Published: December 04, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00
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