Power outages rampant again
Monday, 14 March 2011
FE Report
Power outages have become rampant again with the advent of summer as technical glitches of power plants and gas crisis contribute to fall in overall electricity generation. Ongoing irrigation season also augmented electricity demand worsening the power supply situation, said a Power Development Board (PDB) official. Backup power systems like instant power supply (IPS) and uninterrupted power system (UPS) are hard put to provide electricity in the absence of sufficient grid supply, consumers said. Businesses are bearing the brunt of frequent load shedding and low gas pressure. As a result, industrial output is being hampered badly. Sunday's overall electricity generation was around 4,000 megawatts (mw) across the country against the demand for over 6,500 mw. Technical glitches accounted for around 1,000 mw of load shedding, while gas crisis around 600 mw on Thursday last. Electricity generations in Ghorashal, Ashuganj, Khulna, Rawzan, Tongi, Shahjibazar, Shikalbaha and Baghabari plants were disrupted leading to frequent load shedding and low voltages of electricity. Power ministry officials, however, said electricity supply situation will improve after the irrigation season. Besides, gas rationing in fertiliser factories will be reintroduced like the case in the previous couple years to ensure electricity generation in gas-guzzling power plants, he said. Several rental and quick rental power plants will also be operational by June this year to supply an additional 500 mw of electricity, said the official. The government has moved afresh to allow more power plants under unsolicited deals to ensure electricity supply at the earliest. Sunday's load shedding in the capital was the worst at 313 mw followed by 139 mw in Chittagong, 133 mw in Khulna, 119 mw in Rajshahi, 81 mw in Comilla, 59 mw in Mymensingh and 50 mw in Sylhet.
Power outages have become rampant again with the advent of summer as technical glitches of power plants and gas crisis contribute to fall in overall electricity generation. Ongoing irrigation season also augmented electricity demand worsening the power supply situation, said a Power Development Board (PDB) official. Backup power systems like instant power supply (IPS) and uninterrupted power system (UPS) are hard put to provide electricity in the absence of sufficient grid supply, consumers said. Businesses are bearing the brunt of frequent load shedding and low gas pressure. As a result, industrial output is being hampered badly. Sunday's overall electricity generation was around 4,000 megawatts (mw) across the country against the demand for over 6,500 mw. Technical glitches accounted for around 1,000 mw of load shedding, while gas crisis around 600 mw on Thursday last. Electricity generations in Ghorashal, Ashuganj, Khulna, Rawzan, Tongi, Shahjibazar, Shikalbaha and Baghabari plants were disrupted leading to frequent load shedding and low voltages of electricity. Power ministry officials, however, said electricity supply situation will improve after the irrigation season. Besides, gas rationing in fertiliser factories will be reintroduced like the case in the previous couple years to ensure electricity generation in gas-guzzling power plants, he said. Several rental and quick rental power plants will also be operational by June this year to supply an additional 500 mw of electricity, said the official. The government has moved afresh to allow more power plants under unsolicited deals to ensure electricity supply at the earliest. Sunday's load shedding in the capital was the worst at 313 mw followed by 139 mw in Chittagong, 133 mw in Khulna, 119 mw in Rajshahi, 81 mw in Comilla, 59 mw in Mymensingh and 50 mw in Sylhet.