Power shortage more acute in rural areas in Bangladesh

With the weather getting warmer, power crisis is growing across the country and some rural areas have been experiencing prolonged loadshedding since last week.

Residents of different divisional cities are facing at least an hour of power cuts every day. It is six to seven hours in some rural areas as the mercury hovers around 36 to 38 degrees Celsius in some districts.

The power shortages have also started to affect businesses and irrigation.

As of 3.00 p.m. yesterday, Bangladesh Power Development Board (PDB) generated around 12,700MW electricity against the demand for 14,300MW, which is about 1,600MW shy of the demand.

The situation was similar last week, with highest 1,826MW loadshedding reported on Tuesday, PDB data show.

PDB officials said they are prioritising Dhaka and other divisional cities to supply electricity.

“Except for the two distribution companies in Dhaka [DPDC and DESCO], all five distributors are getting less electricity compared to their demand,” a top PDB official told The Daily Star, wishing anonymity.

Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (REB), the largest power distributor which supplies electricity in rural areas, is getting around 25 percent less than its demand.

More than half the country’s consumers are under REB coverage.

The 25 percent supply shortfall means rural areas are facing five to six hours’ loadshedding every day, according to multiple REB officials.

Mymensingh zone is among the worst affected, facing up to seven hours of loadshedding some days. There are not enough power plants in the zone.

Shahid Uddin, General Manager of Mymensingh Palli Bidyut Samity-1 (Muktagachha), said they are receiving about 40 percent less than the daily demand.

“It has been severe here since last week,” he said. (The Daily Star)

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