The recent surge in load shedding in Bangladesh, exceeding 1,800MW, has compounded the challenges faced by people amidst the country’s longest-ever heatwave. With temperatures soaring above 40°C in at least 14 districts, the strain on the power grid has intensified due to various factors, including reduced electricity exports from India and the partial shutdown of fuel-oil-based power plants over unpaid bills.
The Bangladesh Power Development Board (PDB) has confirmed that the surge in load shedding is partly attributed to India’s reduction in power exports and the operational adjustments made by fuel-oil-based power plants. Additionally, maintenance work on gas-based power plants has further exacerbated the power crisis.
Despite having an installed capacity of over 27,000MW, the actual power generation fell short of meeting the demand, resulting in significant load shedding. The situation worsened on Sunday, reaching a peak of 1,864MW of load shedding, leaving a considerable deficit between generation and demand.