Photo: Messenger
Residents of Bhola district are grappling with the impact of continuous power outages, as the area experiences severe load shedding, affecting over 18 lakh people.
In response to the situation, authorities have highlighted that the 450-megawatt gas-based power plant installed in Bhola is currently feeding electricity into the national grid. They have expressed concern that if at least 50 megawatts of power are not diverted back to Bhola, it could lead to unrest among electricity consumers.
Since the Awami League government took office in 2008, efforts have been made to address the issue, including the commissioning of a 34.5-megawatt rental power plant to supply electricity to seven upazilas in Bhola. This initiative was successful in meeting the demand at the time. However, as the electricity demand grew and the rental power plant's efficiency declined, regular power outages and load shedding became a common occurrence, causing distress to consumers.
The Electricity Department also faces the challenge of shutting down power supplies during inclement weather conditions such as rain or strong winds.
To mitigate the situation, the government has initiated two power generation plants with a combined capacity of 225 megawatts in Bhola's Shahbazpur gas field. These plants commenced operations on February 19, 2023, and are contributing to the national grid. Despite this, the residents of Bhola are still not benefiting from the electricity produced within their district.
The recent climate-related adversities and natural disasters have exacerbated the situation, with temperatures in Bhola fluctuating between 36 and 38 degrees Celsius, well above the tolerance level. The intermittent power supply is severely impacting daily life and local production.
When reached for comment, Assistant Engineer of the Electricity Board, Md. Sabuj, attributed the issue to the weak distribution lines in Bhola. Similarly, Executive Engineer of Bhola Power Development Board, Md. Yusup, emphasized the need for a connection line or power substation to ensure a stable power supply to the district from the national grid.
Messenger/Faria
