This year the electricity demand may reach 15,500 MW to serve the extra load from the irrigation pumps during this year.

This forecast was made by the Bangladesh Power Development Board at an inter-ministerial virtual meeting, convened by the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources.

Presiding over the meeting, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid asked the officials of his ministry to build up a proper load management system through a coordination system between the entities in power, energy and other sectors to ensure uninterrupted power and fuel supply to the irrigation pumps. 

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Every year, the irrigation season that starts in February and continues until May 30 creates an extra load on the power supply to operate the irrigation pumps.

Normally, the country generates 13,000 MW and 14,000 MW in the peak summer season to meet the same requirement.

As per the BPDB statistics, during the last year’s irrigation season (2021), the country’s electricity demand reached 14,097 MW while it was 11,997 in 2020.

It was also informed in the meeting that due to serving extra load, the gas demand for power plants will go up to 1600 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) during the irrigation season while the demand for furnace oil will increase to 70,500 metric tons and diesel to 30,700 metric tons.  

Nasrul Hamid said that the electricity demand has been rising across the country due to achievement of the target to provide electricity to all. 

He asked the officials under the energy division to build up at least a 2-month reserve system for ensuring available supply of diesel to the irrigation pumps and prioritise gas supply to the comparatively efficient power plants.

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He advised them to coordinate with the rail, road and water transport sectors to ensure smooth transportation of fuel to the power plants and also to the irrigation pumps. 

He also asked to set up a monitoring committee to monitor the power and energy supply situation.

Power secretary Habibur Rahman, BPDB chairman Belayet Hossain, Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (BREB) chairman Md Selim Uddin and Power Cell director general Mohammad Hossain also spoke on the occasion.