Power crisis to ease in 2 months
Ministers, officials say about 1800MW additional electricity generation
The perennial power crisis in the country will ease in a couple of months with the addition of 1,800 megawatts (MW) from rental power plants, said ministers and power officials yesterday at a discussion in the city.
Mukto Akash, a magazine on housing, organised the discussion on the crisis in sale of real estate due to government's decision not to give new connections of gas and electricity at Bangladesh Institute of Planners.
Law Minister Shafique Ahmed in his speech as the chief guest said, "The power crisis will be resolved in a couple of months with quick rental contracts of production."
The Power Development Board (PDB) has set the target for generation of 5,500MW by June, including the current production of 3,800MW said ASM Alamgir Kabir, PDB chairman.
Setting up two coal-based 1,320MW power plants and importing 500MW from India are also in the government plan to address the power shortage that has heavy impacts on the economy, he said.
"The total power generation at present falls short by 800MW, compared to the capacity, due to shortage of gas supply," said Kabir.
A one-third reduction in the present consumption pattern, prevention of wasteful use and efficient consumption would resolve the ongoing loadshedding, he said.
The country has a daily demand for 7,500MW, 3,500MW in the capital alone, said State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Brig Gen (Retd) Mohammad Enamul Haq.
Engineer Md Abdul Awal, former president of Real Estate and Housing Association of Bangladesh, in his keynote paper said around 10,000 apartments could not be sold due to lack of electricity and gas connections last year.
The realtors called for equitable distribution of electricity and not stopping connections as the sector consumes only around 24 to 28MW electricity.
Hossain Monsur, chairman of Petrobangla and Kazi Golam Nasir, general secretary of Institute Architects Bangladesh, also spoke at the discussion chaired by Dr M Anwar Hossain, vice-chancellor of Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology.
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