Dhaka Residents Suffer as Gas Crisis Fuels Load-Shedding

Bangla Press Desk:  Frequent power outages are disrupting life across Dhaka city as a worsening gas shortage has forced several gas-fired power plants to run below capacity, widening the gap between electricity demand and supply.

Load-shedding has increased in recent days, particularly during the evening peak period when electricity demand rises sharply.

According to power-sector officials, inadequate gas supplies are reducing generation from gas-fired plants and putting additional pressure on the national grid.

As a result, load-shedding is being imposed in different areas to maintain a balance between demand and supply.

Data from Power Grid Bangladesh PLC showed considerable fluctuations in Dhaka's power-supply situation over the past five days.

During the evening peak hour on Saturday (August 22), electricity demand in the Dhaka zone stood at 6,489 megawatts (MW), while load-shedding reached 599MW. A day earlier, demand was 5,635MW and load-shedding stood at 214MW.

This means demand increased by 854MW, while load-shedding jumped by 385MW in a single day.

On August 20, demand stood at 6,251MW during the evening peak hour, with 554MW of load shedding. The highest level of load-shedding (640MW) during the five-day period was recorded on August 19 against evening peak demand of 6,184MW.

Earlier, on August 18, Dhaka's evening peak demand stood at 6,184MW, while load shedding was relatively lower at 154MW.