Area-based scheduled electricity outage starts

Area-based scheduled daily load-shedding has been imposed across the country from Tuesday, as the government has shut operations of all diesel-fired power plants under a fresh austerity measure to cut import of expensive diesel.
The state-run electricity distribution companies have prepared schedules separately for the areas under their jurisdiction and started enforcing the one-hour load-shedding in line with the schedule, a senior Power Division official told the FE on Tuesday.
This one-hour daily load-shedding will continue for one week on an experimental basis. The government will take decision whether or not the load-shedding hours will be extended after analysing the outcome of this week's austerity measure.
The government expects to cut diesel import by 10 per cent with the latest austerity measure of shutting the diesel-fired power plants - having a total generation capacity of around 1,300 megawatts (MW).
Some 10 per cent diesel import could be cut further, if the transport owners become cautious with austerity, the Power Division official hoped.
Bangladesh imports around 50 million tonnes of diesel annually, whereas its daily consumption is around 15,000 tonnes.
The religious centres, especially mosques and temples, are also under the purview of austerity, as the government has instructed limiting the use of air conditioners (ACs) in such centres only during their prayer time.

Azizjst@yahoo.com