By Syed Shukur Ali Shuvo

DHAKA, Feb 12, 2025 (BSS) – The government has decided to take a series of measures to ensure uninterrupted supply of electricity across the country during the upcoming summer when demand for power goes up mounting pressure on overall power generation.

“The power sector has chalked out fuel-wise generation plan to balance demand-supply of electricity during April-May,” a BPDB official familiar with the process said.

He said the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) has predicted that the daily power demand would be around 18,000-MW during April and May, against the predicted generation of 17,260-MW at evening peak hour.

Talking to BSS, BPDB chairman Engineer Rezaul Karim said they have been working to bring load shedding down to zero percentage during the Ramadan, when the highest 15,700MW power demand is projected.

He said during the summer the country may face at least 740MW of load shedding, as the demand is expected to be 18,000-MW against the generation of 17,260-MW.

In 2024, the highest demand was 17,800MW while the highest generation was 16,477MW, said the chairman.

Earlier, power, energy and mineral resources ministry adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan at a briefing said that they are trying to minimize the load shedding to zero during Ramadan and efforts are on to keep load shedding at tolerable level throughout the summer season.

“Around 900-million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) gas is now being supplied for electricity generation. Gas supply will be increased to 1200 mmcfd during the Ramadan. So, power generation will be increased as well,” he said.

“During the Ramadan, the electricity demand is expected to be 15,700-MW daily. We have made full preparations to ensure supply power as per the demand,” he added.

According to the BPDB's plan, gas supply to the power plants will be increased to 1,200mmcfd during the summer.

According to the BPDB’s plan during April and May, the country’s gas based power plants are expected to generate 6,200-MW while 5100-MW is expected to come from coal-fired plants, 3500-MW from Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) based plants, 40-MW from Hydro sources, 20-MW from Solar and Wind sources, 1000-MW from import (HVDC & Tripura) and 1400-MW from Adani power plant in India.

Of the 5100-MW coal based electricity, Payra will produce 1200-MW, Rampal 1000-MW, SS Power 1200-MW, Matarbari 1150-MW, Barishal 300-MW and Barapukuria 250-MW.

In April, 2024, average gas supply was 1203 mmcfd for electricity generation, but in January, 2025 the gas supply was 839 mmcfd, according to a document from inter ministerial meeting.

The adviser also said that the air coolers consume about 6,000MW of total power generation during summer, adding, “If the cooling load can be reduced, the power demand would be reduced by another 2,000-MW to 3,000-MW.”

Recently, the BPDB asked for $4 billion from the finance division to keep the power supply stable during summer and the finance division has assured of providing the amount, Fouzul Kabir said.