People suffer as load shedding hits 1,500 MW

Though power generation set a new record, there is no sign of decrease in power outages across the country. 

Rather, the extent of load shedding increased by almost 50 percent compared with the previous day.

The records at the National Load Dispatch Centre (NLDC) in the Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB) show that the country experienced about 1,500 MW of load shedding on Wednesday while it was 1049 M on Tuesday.

The NLDC data also show that Wednesday started with 1,468 MW at 1 am. However, the level of power shortage decreased in the day time and it came down to 542 MW in the morning at 7 am. 

But again the extent of load shedding took negative turn and increased to 821 MW at 3 pm on Wednesday.  

Both the data of the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) and PGCB show that the country‍‍`s evening peak generation was recorded at 14,473 at 5 pm against demand for 15,200 MW leaving a shortage of 694 MW.

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

According to official sources, maximum burden of the load shedding 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 load shedding 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.