Photo: Messenger
As Cyclone Remal gains strength, government agencies are intensifying safety measures, leading to a significant decrease in LNG supply to the national grid. The floating terminal at sea has reduced its output by 1,050 mmcfd, causing a decline in gas supply to power plants. Consequently, load shedding is increasing nationwide.
According to Power Grid Company Ltd, load shedding has been recorded on Sunday 8 am 200 MW, on 9 am 287 MW, 10 am 378 MW, 11 am 315 MW and on 12 pm 414MW while demand was 13,100 MW, 12,800 MW, 12,950 MW, 12,850 MW, 12,600 MW respectively and generation was recorded at the same day same time 12,667 MW, 12,487 MW, 12,554 MW, 12,549 MW, and 12,391 MW.
State Minister for Power Energy and mineral Resources told the Daily Messenger “Of course, it is very challenging to smooth supply of electricity during cyclone as the power plants are very sensitive. Any of accident can havoc in the locality. Currently, we are supplying power rationally. I hope, power supply will be normal by Monday.”
Md. Kamruzzaman Khan, Director (Operations & Mines) Petrobangla told the Daily Messenger “Already the cyclone hit the coastal areas and the weather across the country including capital city getting worse. We cannot run the power plants situated near sea due to safety measures.”
He added, “we are bound to shut down the gas supply to the national grid from floating LNG terminal. As the power plants consume the gas from grid, so due to lower gas supply power generation has cut and load shedding has been increasing in the country.”
An official of Power Development Board (PDB) said “To manage the situation, we have to shut down some of our big power plants. So, the country will experience load shedding till Monday noon. Though, due to cool weather power demand also has decreased.”
Public relations officer of PDB Shamim Kollol told the Daily Messenger “We have held a meeting in Biddut Bhaban today. If wind turns desperate, we may shut down the Rampal 1,320 MW capacity power plants. Otherwise, all will be kept normal but regarding the safety issues during cyclone we will take instant measures.”
There are three mega power plants are in coastal areas Payra 1,302 MW capacity in Patuakhali, Rampal 1,320 MW capacity in Khulna and Matarbari 1,200 MW in Cox Bazar.
But the officials of the Power Division think, people will not suffer in severe loadshedding due to storm. The Meteorological Office informed Bangladesh will be less affected than West Bengal.
Bangladesh had faced its worst load shedding in more than seven months as a deadly cyclone Mocha in 2023 forced the closure of both its floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals.
Messenger/Disha
