Bangladesh Power Cuts May Last Two More Weeks On Fuel Shortages
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Loading... - Elyas Chesa
- 05 Jun 2023
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Bangladesh may encounter power outages for an additional two weeks, as stated by the country's power minister on Sunday evening. The surge in electricity consumption due to soaring temperatures has resulted in a shortage of fuel for power generation plants.
Since April, Bangladesh has been grappling with severe power deficiencies. A scorching heatwave escalated the demand for electricity, and a devastating cyclone disrupted the supply of natural gas to fuel the plants. Furthermore, the country has reduced its imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG), the primary fuel for power generation, due to exorbitant prices in the latter half of 2022.
Minister Nasrul Hamid, responsible for power, energy, and mineral resources, informed reporters that this situation could persist for another two weeks. He explained, "This problem arises from our inability to ensure an ample supply of coal and gas."
The power losses pose a significant threat to Bangladesh's vital apparel sector, which contributes to over 80% of the country's exports and supplies major retailers like Walmart, Gap Inc, H&M, VF Corp, Zara, and American Eagle Outfitters. The decline in these exports will further exacerbate the country's issues with its dwindling dollar reserves, which have fallen by nearly a third in the past 12 months, reaching a seven-year low by the end of April. Consequently, Bangladesh's capacity to pay for fuel imports has become limited.
Hamid revealed that the country's power sector officials have been striving to avert fuel shortages over the past two months, but the surging consumption has made the task increasingly challenging.
The situation could worsen with the impending shutdown of a crucial coal-fired power unit, scheduled for Tuesday, due to an anticipated fuel scarcity in the coming days. A senior official from the power ministry expressed concerns, stating, "Only rainfall can bring us some relief since power demand decreases during rainy weather." The official requested anonymity as they lacked authorization to address the media.
The frequent power cuts have invited criticism from opposition parties. Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, a senior leader of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, voiced his discontent, saying, "The entire country is almost without electricity. People are falling ill due to extreme heat."
