Transmission from Adani’s Gadda Power Plant, in the Indian state of Jharkhand, to Bangladesh's national grid resumed at 3:43 am (early hour) on Thursday (June 8, 2023). According to official sources, the transmission line from Godda power plant tripped at 2:46 pm on Wednesday (June 7, 2023), worsening the already severe load shedding situation across the country. According to officials of the Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB), the operation of the Godda power plant was first resumed at 11 pm on Wednesday night through sending auxiliary power from Bangladesh, and then after a series of technical checks in the system, power transmission to Bangladesh's national grid resumed. Read more: Adani's Godda plant commissioned with issues over coal tariff unresolved “Power supply from Adani's (Godda) plant became normal at 3:43 am on Thursday,” Badruddoza Sumon, spokesman of PGCB, told UNB. India's Adani Group set up the 1,600 MW capacity coal-fired power plant at Godda to exclusively supply electricity to Bangladesh. Its 800 MW unit started commercial operation in March while the second unit is now on test run -- generating 50-100 MW every day.   Read more: Adani Power starts commercial electricity supply to Bangladesh keeping tariff issue unsettled Meanwhile, officials of Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) said that excessive load shedding across the country continues with lower power supply. The official data from National Load Dispatch Centre shows that the country experienced a load shedding of 2961 MW at 1 am, 2976 MW at 2 am, 2939 MW at 3 am, 2819 MW at 4 pm, 2606 MW at 5 am, and 2463 MW at 6 am when power supply was between 11,700 MW and 11,300 MW against demand between 14,800 MW and 13,900 MW. Read more: Test transmission of power supply from Adani plant to Bangladesh's national grid starts BPDB officials said there is a projection that the country’s highest demand will be 15,200 while the highest generation will be 12,200, leaving a shortage of nearly 3000 MW. It is a widespread allegation that people in rural areas have to experience much more frequent power cuts than in urban areas, especially in the capital Dhaka and other major cities. People living in some rural areas say they experience load shedding for over 12 hours a day. Read more: The Tk 700 crore per month hole in the deal with Adani Power

After about 5 hours of partial grid line failure, power supply was restored in west Dhaka, including Mohammadpur, Dhanmondi and Mirpur areas. “From our end, power transmission was restored at the 230 kV grid line at 10:38 am. But it takes some time to fully restore electricity supply to distribution line,” Badruddoza Sumon, public relation officer of Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB), told UNB. “We hope, gradually power supply will be restored in all areas,” he added. Shahnaz Begum, who lives on Babar Road in Mohammadpur, said that her home was without electricity as of 11 am. Also Read: Aminbazar-Agargaon grid line failure: No electricity in Mohammadpur, Mirpur areas The 230 kV grid line from Aminbazar-Agargaon failed at 5:50 am today (February 21, 2023) — leading to no electricity in the western part of Dhaka city, including the entire Mohammadpur and Mirpur areas. Officials from both PGCB and Dhaka Power Distribution Company Limited  (DPDC) confirmed the development. “The grid transmission line tripped at 5:50 am,” PGCB official Sumon earlier said. Further explaining, he said due to dense fog, sometimes grid lines can break down. Read More: Committee to review existing deals on coal purchase for power generation This is not a technical fault of the system, he added. Aminbazar-Mohammadpur grid line is one of the main sources supplying electricity to some of Dhaka city’s important establishments, including the Prime Minister’s official residence and Dhaka cantonment. Power supply continued through alternative sources to those important establishments although regular consumers are without electricity.  Read More: TIB for reviewing Dhaka's power purchase deal with Adani Group

BNP senior leader Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku on Monday said the government is being forced to carry out ‘costly’ load-shedding due to its wrong policy. Tuku, a former state minister for power, said Bangladesh is now facing an economic crisis because of the government’s failure to deliver. "Before taking any power project, its sustainability has to be assessed. But the government set up fuel-based power plants without loss assessment. They didn’t consider the consequences if the fuels ever run out,” the BNP leader said. As a result of not doing that, he said people will now suffer power outages.  “It has just become a costly load-shedding.” Read: 2-hour area-based nationwide load shedding from Tuesday Tuku, also a BNP standing committee member, was talking to reporters at the BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office on the government’s decision on Load-shedding. He said the government has set up rental power plants as part of its ‘evil’ plans to plunder public money. “Any corrupt and fascist regime acts like that.” Asked whether the government's move to carry out load-shedding will help solve the power crisis, Tuku said, "This decision has not been made to deal with the electricity crisis. They’ve taken the move to decrease import cost as they can’t import fuels and gas due to the shortage of reserves.” He said the government has long been bragging about adequate reserves. “Where did that reserve go, why did it disappear suddenly? The government also carried out a campaign that we have surpassed Singapore, Thailand and other countries. But the country is now in an economic crisis. I will blame the government for this.”  The BNP leader said people did not have to pay for load-shedding in the past. "But people have to now pay for load-shedding. That is the biggest question." After this government came to power, he said it started depending on the private sector for power generation. “This government hastily gave all the best plans to the private sector and brought the rental power plants as the best solution. I think these were bad and misguided plans.” The BNP leader said the power generation needed to be kept in the hands of the government. “Because if the government produces the electricity, it would not have to be paid the capacity charges now. But the government is now paying the rental power plants as per agreement though they are not generating power.”

Stating that load-shedding can lead to the government’s fall, BNP senior leader Mirza Abbas on Monday said people of the country can no longer be fooled by development tablets.  "The government has long been feeding the people of Bangladesh with development tablets.  It can’t talk about development by carrying out load-shedding. So, the development tablets now won’t work anymore,” he said. Abbas was speaking at the council of Ramna and Shabagh thana units of Dhaka South City BNP at the Institution of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh. Abbas, a BNP standing committee member, said people of Sri Lanka are now vomiting after overeating the development tablets. “They now don’t take the development tablets. After ruining the country in the name of development, their president fled to Singapore." Also read: Saving electricity: Bangladesh to begin daily one-hour staggered load-shedding from Tuesday He said Awami League leaders have also worked out their escape routes in advance. He said the government used to brag that there is no shortage of power as they could reach the electricity to people’s houses through the quick rental power plants. “The government is now making contradictory comments as they’re going to introduce load-shedding from tomorrow (Tuesday). If this is the fact, then why did you set up quick rental by spending so much money?" the BNP leader asked. He also said the owners of quick rental power plants will now get money sitting idle, no matter whether they generate electricity or not. "If people have to endure load-shedding even after so much plundering of public money in the name of quick rental in the power sector, I think it can be the reason for the government's fall as the common people are becoming intolerant,” Abbas observed. He also alleged that the country is now facing a serious crisis of dollars as the ruling party leaders indulged in widespread siphoning off money abroad. Also read: BNP getting ready to oust govt, not to join polls under Hasina: Abbas “It’s now being directed that if you have to import anything from abroad, then you have to take permission from the Bangladesh Bank. It is my liberty to business. I’ll open the LC and import goods by sending dollars. But why has our country no dollars? It’s happened due to siphoning off dollars abroad through the airport,” the BNP leader alleged. Referring to newspaper reports, he said three-four billion dollars from Bangladesh are being deposited regularly in Swiss banks.” If my country's dollar goes to Swiss banks, how will the people of this country live?" Abbas slammed Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal for his comments that contestants in elections should stand with a rifle or a sword if someone comes with a sword. “Only a stupid person can make such a remark,” he said. “Can he (CEC) play the role of a referee? You can't do that either. Our position is clear that BNP won’t go to any election under such a worthless Election Commission" he said. The BNP leader said a credible election is impossible under the Awami League government even if an election commission is hired from abroad as all the institutions, including police and administration, have been politicised.   He said the parliament must be dissolved, the Prime Minister has to quit and an independent Election Commission must be constituted to hold a fair and acceptable election in the country. Abbas warned that they will take to the streets and besiege Bangabhaban or the Secretariat in the days to come to force the government to quit. About the media report that a cargo plane carrying arms for Bangladesh from Serbia crashed in northern Greece, the BNP leader asked the government for whom they procured weapons.  

The government has decided to enforce a nationwide daily one-hour of staggered area-based power cuts from Tuesday as the country faces a fuel crunch disrupting  power generation.“Primarily, we will conduct daily area-wise one-hour load-shedding on experimental basis. If needed, then after one week we will recast the decision” said State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid said at a press briefing in the afternoon at his ministry on Monday in a revised announcement. Hours earlier the load-shedding was announced for two hours a day. The earlier announcement was made by the Prime Minister’s Energy Adviser Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury who said the rationing was needed to overcome the power crisis.The adviser announced the decision after a high level meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office Monday morning. Nasrul Hamid and principal Secretary to the Prime Minister Ahmad Kaikaus also attended the meeting.Tawfiq-e-Elahi said the power distribution entities will conduct the load shedding under a schedule so that the people get time to take preparation for it and do not feel any disturbance.But in each spell, no load shedding will continue for more than half an hour, he said. Also read: 2-hour area-based nationwide load shedding from TuesdayHe said the diesel-run power plants will remain closed until further order to save petroleum fuels while the shopping malls and markets will have to be closed by 8 pm.He said some options like keeping petrol pumps closed one day a week were discussed at the meeting.The adviser said the government office hours may be rescheduled while virtual meetings will be held instead of those with physical presence.Nasrul in his press briefing said no decision was made regarding closing of petrol pump a day in a week.Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation was asked to work out on the issue. They will take final decision after consultation with the transport operators.He also said the religious institutions like mosques, temples and churches were requested to go for taking power saving measures.They should keep operating air conditioners just during the prayer time. Also read: Countrywide load-shedding increases due to gas shortage in power plantsHe said in no way markets and shopping malls be allowed to keep open after 8 pm.He said closure of diesel-run power plants will save 10 per cent petrol import and another 10 per cent could be saved through conservative consumption of diesel in transport sector. Officials said the country has about 10 diesel-run power plants having 1290 MW, mostly in private sector.

The countrywide load-shedding of electricity has been rising because of a huge gas shortage that has led to a significant fall in power generation. Bangladesh Power Development Board’s official data shows that the country had to resort to 1,500 MW of load-shedding on Sunday while there was a forecast of a power-cut of 1,273 MW. “But obviously, the authorities have to go for a load shedding of more than the projected amount”, said a top official of the BPDB, who preferred anonymity. The official data shows the country’s highest power generation was recorded 12,115 MW at the evening on Sunday against a demand for 13,615 MW meaning a 1,500 MW gap between the peak demand and supply in power generation. Also read: Electricity: Progress in pre-paid meter installation is slow despite high hope “This gap is being covered up by load shedding”, said the BPDB official. Normally, the power generation varies between 1300-1400 MW and the highest generation was recorded 14,782 MW on April 16 this year. According to BPDB official data, of the 1500 MW load shedding, Dhaka region experienced 400 MW while Chattagram 200 MW, Khulna 220 MW, Rajshahi 220 MW, Cumilla 140 MW, Mymensingh 120 MW, Sylhel 50 MW and Rangpur rewgions 150 MW on Sunday last. However, many energy experts don’t trust the BPDB statistics. Rather they believe that the extent of the load shedding and interruption in power supply is more than the official figure. “BPDB never provides an actual figure of its power supply scenario”, said energy expert and Consumers Association of Bangladesh’s senior vice chairman Prof M Shamsul Alam. Meanwhile, many consumers in the capital Dhaka and elsewhere reported a huge load shedding and frequent interruption in power supply. Habibure Rahman, a consumer of Uttara area in the city informed that he had to regularly experience load shedding in three to four spells a day and every time a power-cut continues for more than half an hour. Similar experiences were shared by consumers in other areas in the city including Malibagh, Mouchak, Nakhalpara, Shantinagar, Mogbazar, Niketon, Gulshan, Mohammadpur, Mirpur, Sutrapur, Jatrabari and Badda. They said the extent of such load shedding and interruption in power supply has been increasing in recent days. Also read: Ecnec clears Tk 6,179 cr project to enhance electricity network in Dhaka, Mymensingh BPDB officials attributed the fall in power generation to the shortage in gas supply. They said they have to suspend generation of 3650 MW of electricity due to shortage in gas supply to their power plants. Recently, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid admitted the crisis in power and gas supply. In his verified facebook page he wrote: “Power production is being disrupted due shortage of gas. As a result, power supply is being disrupted in many places. The power generation generally will be normal once the gas supply improved”. He also claimed the price hike of energy in the international market due to the war has put us in trouble like other countries. “In such a situation I regret the temporary inconvenience”, he added. State-owned Petrobangla officials noted that the country’s gas production and supply experienced a fall following a government decision not to import liquefied natural gas from the international spot market due to excessive price hike. The per MMBtu of LNG is being sold on the global market over $35 while a few months back it was below $25. As a result, the local gas supply has decreased to 2,822 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) from a regular supply of 3500 mmcfd which creates a shortage of about 700 mmcfd.