Increasing power generation through a short-term plan
Wednesday, 5 September 2007
Syed Ishtiaque Reza
Ailing power sector gives no signal of immediate solution to the persisting crisis. Load shedding in many parts of the city is continuing for varying periods. The most severely affected sector is business, especially the manufacturing sector. According to survey of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), 64 per cent of industries of different types in Bangladesh have become heavily dependent on generators. This, according to the Bank, is badly affecting the productivity of the industries here. Industries are losing their competitiveness due to production losses because of prolonged power shortage. The loss due to power outage is equal to two per cent of the GDP. In fact, lack of proper political leadership has driven the country's power sector into this messy situation.
Against, this backdrop people feel that the present caretaker government would now move with exceptional speed to address the power insufficiency-related issues. The caretaker government has to take a new look at the mess that was created by the immediate past government.
When the present caretaker government took over, a number of options were heard from the top people in the government. One of the widely discussed issues was importing power from India. But that did not proceed. Import from India should be the last option, they suggested saying that many power plants across the country remain non-operational at present which should be made operational. Urgent actions should be taken by the relevant ministry to expedite the reopening of closed power generating plants. As these needs were not previously addressed with the urgency the same deserved, the country saw the lowest ever power generation in five years.
Those in charge of the relevant ministry should gird up their loins and go for implementing a contingency plan to increase power generation by resuming fastest generation of power in the closed down power plants, completing repairs of them at the soonest and taking measures to get optimum output from the operative ones. Repair, balancing and modernisation of the old power plants can be done on an emergency basis if bureaucratic procedures that are followed to procure spares can be shortened keeping in view the magnitude of the crisis.
Fund shortage, policy inadequacies or lack of coordination are only second to leadership crisis in the sector. The donor agencies on many occasions said they were ready to help Bangladesh improve its power sector. But to handle the crisis, the government must ensure better leadership in the sector for fast and better procurement and effective measures.
In the short term covering 12 to 18 months, the government may go for 100 MW small power plants after fixing how the payment will be made. The government may also go for one or two barge-mounted plants in the short term. Whatever the option is, be it import from the West Bengal, setting up small units or revamping the old unit, people want a solution at the earliest.
Energy Advisor assured people that the caretaker government is looking into the matter seriously. Many experts say there is no immediate solution to it.
Short-term solution lies in 'managing' the crisis as efficiently as the managers can. The small power plant project would not have solved the power problem but would certainly have gone some way towards easing the power crisis. Slow decision of the government is making the power crisis worse. Load shedding and subsequent suffering of the people was a usual phenomenon at the time of the BNP-led alliance government. Almost all activities including irrigation and commercial and industrial operations were disrupted because of frequent power failures at that time. The situation improved a little in the last winter season.
The caretaker government can give the go-ahead to the ditched power plant projects, if found transparent. Taking a crash course can only cushion the crunch amid a looming electricity crisis. There have been several big and small power projects stuck-up in different stages of processing for long.
These were found to have lapses. The caretaker government must re-examine the projects immediately. They must not allow the repetition of Kansat or Shanir Akhra incidents. The most immediate necessary is to repair the generation units without any delay. They must not be kept out of operation in the summer when consumption of electricity increases.
Management of power is faulty. The fault in the management has to be eliminated immediately. Only efficient and experienced people should be placed to manage the power sector. The power sector must be freed from all inefficiencies and corruption. The caretaker government, must place efficient and dedicated people in vital positions to manage the power generation and supply systems. No delay would be acceptable to the people.
Ailing power sector gives no signal of immediate solution to the persisting crisis. Load shedding in many parts of the city is continuing for varying periods. The most severely affected sector is business, especially the manufacturing sector. According to survey of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), 64 per cent of industries of different types in Bangladesh have become heavily dependent on generators. This, according to the Bank, is badly affecting the productivity of the industries here. Industries are losing their competitiveness due to production losses because of prolonged power shortage. The loss due to power outage is equal to two per cent of the GDP. In fact, lack of proper political leadership has driven the country's power sector into this messy situation.
Against, this backdrop people feel that the present caretaker government would now move with exceptional speed to address the power insufficiency-related issues. The caretaker government has to take a new look at the mess that was created by the immediate past government.
When the present caretaker government took over, a number of options were heard from the top people in the government. One of the widely discussed issues was importing power from India. But that did not proceed. Import from India should be the last option, they suggested saying that many power plants across the country remain non-operational at present which should be made operational. Urgent actions should be taken by the relevant ministry to expedite the reopening of closed power generating plants. As these needs were not previously addressed with the urgency the same deserved, the country saw the lowest ever power generation in five years.
Those in charge of the relevant ministry should gird up their loins and go for implementing a contingency plan to increase power generation by resuming fastest generation of power in the closed down power plants, completing repairs of them at the soonest and taking measures to get optimum output from the operative ones. Repair, balancing and modernisation of the old power plants can be done on an emergency basis if bureaucratic procedures that are followed to procure spares can be shortened keeping in view the magnitude of the crisis.
Fund shortage, policy inadequacies or lack of coordination are only second to leadership crisis in the sector. The donor agencies on many occasions said they were ready to help Bangladesh improve its power sector. But to handle the crisis, the government must ensure better leadership in the sector for fast and better procurement and effective measures.
In the short term covering 12 to 18 months, the government may go for 100 MW small power plants after fixing how the payment will be made. The government may also go for one or two barge-mounted plants in the short term. Whatever the option is, be it import from the West Bengal, setting up small units or revamping the old unit, people want a solution at the earliest.
Energy Advisor assured people that the caretaker government is looking into the matter seriously. Many experts say there is no immediate solution to it.
Short-term solution lies in 'managing' the crisis as efficiently as the managers can. The small power plant project would not have solved the power problem but would certainly have gone some way towards easing the power crisis. Slow decision of the government is making the power crisis worse. Load shedding and subsequent suffering of the people was a usual phenomenon at the time of the BNP-led alliance government. Almost all activities including irrigation and commercial and industrial operations were disrupted because of frequent power failures at that time. The situation improved a little in the last winter season.
The caretaker government can give the go-ahead to the ditched power plant projects, if found transparent. Taking a crash course can only cushion the crunch amid a looming electricity crisis. There have been several big and small power projects stuck-up in different stages of processing for long.
These were found to have lapses. The caretaker government must re-examine the projects immediately. They must not allow the repetition of Kansat or Shanir Akhra incidents. The most immediate necessary is to repair the generation units without any delay. They must not be kept out of operation in the summer when consumption of electricity increases.
Management of power is faulty. The fault in the management has to be eliminated immediately. Only efficient and experienced people should be placed to manage the power sector. The power sector must be freed from all inefficiencies and corruption. The caretaker government, must place efficient and dedicated people in vital positions to manage the power generation and supply systems. No delay would be acceptable to the people.