Load shedding crosses 1000 MW amid sweltering heat

The extent of load shedding in the country crossed 1000 MW on Tuesday in electricity supply against soaring demand.

This is first time in recent days the power shortage crossed such a level while the highest load shedding was recorded at 966 MW on Monday although the power generation set a new record with the figure at 16,233 MW.

According to the National Load Dispatch Centre (NLDC) at the Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB), the country’s demand was recorded at 15,200 MW at 3pm on Tuesday, when the load shedding was 1049 MW.

On the other hand, the demand forecast for Tuesday evening was 16,800 MW and supply forecast was 16,530 MW.

According to official sources, maximum burden of the loadshedding was diverted to rural areas, as part of a policy to avert power outages in capital Dhaka and other large cities.

Reports from different areas said the extent of loadshedding is aggravating the plight of the rural people amid the sweltering heat this summer.

Meanwhile, state-owned Petrobangla’s official data shows that the country’s gas production was 3,056 million cubic feet per day (MMCFD) against a demand for 3,760 MW.

It shows that a good number of power plants, specifically those using gas as their primary fuel, remained off generation due to gas shortage.

The power plants received a supply of 1330 MMCFD gas against their demand for 2316.9 MMCFD, the data shows.