Power crisis

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THE newspapers reported recently that the entrepreneurs who set up Bangladesh's largest steel mill in Chittagong investing nearly Tk 4.0 billion are apprehensive of incurring losses due to severe power shortage in the port city.

In fact, power supply declined not only in Chittagong but across the country. The frequency and duration of power outages have gone up during the tenure of the incumbent caretaker government. The chief adviser's special assistant for power has stated that this government has been able to raise generation by 600MW. But the real picture does not support his contention.

We always hear that the country's power sector needs pragmatic planning and action. But we are yet to know which steps, taken so far, could be called pragmatic. But we understand that power generation by the private sector alone could increase the supply situation. But the private sector finds it difficult to get the permission from the government, the clearance from the Power Development Board (PDB) and the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) and the clearance for the import of the power plants. Cumbersome procedures of the government make things difficult for them. The time-consuming system acts as disincentive for the entrepreneurs. That is why they lose interest to invest in this sector.

The severe gas supply crisis is negatively impacting new power generation projects. The situation could deteriorate in the near future. Can we expect early steps to expedite generation to improve the supply situation?

Alternatively, the government should allow the setting up of coal-fired power plants. Whatever the protesters say, the government should come up with a decision to allow the use of coal for solving the alarming energy crisis.

Aref Khan

Gulshan, Dhaka