Diversion of 10 mmcfd to Private Power Plant

Ctg city faces serious gas crisis for over a month

10 October 2009, 17:00 PM

Shahidul Islam, Chittagong

Diversion of 10 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) gas from Chittagong Bakhrabad Gas Systems Limited (BGSL) to a private rental power plant in Daudkandi has put domestic and commercial consumers in many areas of the port city in a serious gas crisis for more than a month. Shortage of gas supply is affecting production in 832 industrial units, 104 captive power plants and 23 CNG refuelling stations, sources said. The BGSL authorities on August 24 diverted 10 mmcfd gas from Kutumbpur bypass line in Comilla to American Electric Supply (AES), a private rental power plant located at Meghnaghat in Daudkandi, to ensure uninterrupted power generation by AES. This is causing a sharp fall in gas supply in the port city mainly during peak hours--4:00pm to midnight-- every day. Consumers also complain of frequent fall in pressure in their gas connections. The worst affected areas include Askar Dighir Par, Halishahar, Love Lane, Ghat Farhadbeg, Firoze Shah Colony, Rangipara, Eidgah, Colonel Hat and Muradpur. To address the gas shortage, the authorities recently asked two major gas-based enterprises --Karnaphuli Fertiliser Company Limited (Kafco) and Raozan Thermal Power Plant-- to reduce their daily consumption of gas, sources said. “Two units (each having 210 MW capacity) of Raozan plant are now running with 58mmcfd gas while their requirement is 90mmcfd. We asked the plant authorities to consume 50mmcfd gas now. We also requested Kafco to run their factory with 50mmcfd gas instead of the required 63mmcfd,” said an official seeking anonymity. Contacted, BGSL General Manager (marketing) Khan Ashraf Ali admitted the shortage of gas supply in different areas of Chittagong city due to diversion of Kutumbpur gas to the AES. “We have been getting complaints from consumers in many areas of the port city about frequent disruption in gas supply and reduced gas pressure since August 24,” he said. He said Chittagong is now facing a shortage of around 100 mmcfd gas on an average. Earlier, Chittagong Urea Fertiliser Factory was forced to stop production on April 26 for diverting over 50 mmcfd gas to power plants, he mentioned. BGSL sources said Chittagong consumers now get 216 - 220 mmcfd gas against the demand for 330 mmcfd. They get 46 mmcfd gas from Sangu and the rest from the Gas Transmission Company Limited (GTCL). Gas consumers (domestic and commercial) in the port city total more than two lakh.