The Energy and Mineral Resources Division of Bangladesh is considering cutting off gas supplies to Independent Power Producers (IPP) plants due to unpaid bills. Although no disconnections have occurred yet, the move comes as the government faces challenges in LNG imports and payments to international oil companies.
Petrobangla is hesitant to continue LNG imports due to non-payment, and it’s also struggling to settle bills with international firms like Chevron and Tullow. A committee was established to collect overdue gas bills from IPP and BPDB power plants but has made little progress. The Ministry of Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources reports $3.3 billion in unpaid dues by the energy and power division, reflecting a financial crisis in these sectors. Bangladesh has 27 gas-based IPPs with a total capacity of 3,334 MW, and daily gas demand from power plants is 166 million cubic feet.