Govt urged to prioritize renewable energy to address power crisis

Adani, an Indian power company, has encountered payment difficulties as the Power Development Board (PDB) in Bangladesh grapples with a shortage of dollars. Adani supplied 700-750 MW of electricity during the trial production period, totaling around 1.5 million units to PDB.

The energy sector in Bangladesh is facing a significant challenge as overdue payments to energy providers and power-plant owners, both domestic and foreign, have reached a staggering amount of over $2.76 billion. This situation has resulted in a scarcity of power supply and fuel shortages, leading to frequent outages.

The Payra 1,320MW Thermal Power Plant in Patuakhali, Bangladesh, has halted operations due to a lack of coal supply, resulting in a daily capacity payment burden of Tk 7.66 crore for the government. With two units completely shut down, the monthly capacity payment amounts to Tk 230 crore.

Factory owners and millers in Bangladesh are grappling with frequent power cuts and low gas pressure, leading to a significant decline in production. Some businesses have resorted to shutting down operations temporarily or adjusting worker schedules based on the availability of power and gas supply.

Intraco Refueling Station Limited took the top spot on the turnover chart as it prepares to transport gas from Bhola to Dhaka. The company recorded a turnover value of Tk59.34 crore, followed by Meghna Life Insurance at Tk42.73 crore and Sea Pearl Beach Resorts at Tk37.24 crore, according to data from the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE).

Bangladesh, known for achieving nationwide power coverage, is now grappling with a severe power crisis. The country, which celebrated its milestone of bringing electricity to all corners just last year(2022), is experiencing an unprecedented load shedding of around 2,500 megawatts