Shutdown of at least 18 state-run power units for various factors like maintenance has acutely deepened power crisis across the country.

A senior official of Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) told The New Nation yesterday that the authorities concerned had to resort to massive load shedding to the tune of 1,000 mw of power a day to tackle the situation.

The official also admitted that closure of 18 units having generation capacity of about 1,000 mw of power has aggravated the situation forcing the BPDB authorities to resort to massive load shedding across the country.

As per official records, currently the BPDB can supply only 3,000 mw of power a day against daily demand of 4, 000 Mw of power.

Official records also showed that the level of load shedding in the capital was around 300 mw of power but informed circles said that daily load shedding in the city would be not less than 500 mw.

BPDB sources informed that shutdown of the 80 mw Tongi Power Plant caused by air filters shortage had also added to the on-going power crisis in and around the capital city, particularly in the Tongi Industrial Area.

The gas-based Tongi peaking Power Plant equipped with most modern and sophisticated European machine ,was temporarily shut down on Thursday last .

Officials of BPDB expected that the plant could resume its generation soon as consignment of air filters had already arrived at the Chittagong Port.

Officials of BPDB detected that air filters used in the plant were exhausted ahead of the schedule leading to the untimely closure of the plant. According to the officials, air filter were getting non-functional due to heavy air pollution in the area. The officials categorically said that dust from a nearby rubber factory had virtually caused air pollution that exhausted air filters used in the plant.

The BPDB is quite aware of the problem. They held a series of meetings over the environmental hazard in the area but no effective measures were taken to address the problem.

The Tongi Power Plant could generate more than 100 mw of power a day but non-availability of adequate gas had forced the plant to generate 40 Mw to 50 Mw a day before suspension of its generation of power caused by air pollution.

However, experts drew the attention of the BPDB authorities to pursue the Department of Environment so that it could initiate preventive measures to stop air pollution that led to the closure of the plant.

Meanwhile, implementation of a number of new power plants as per schedule has become uncertain due to bureaucratic tangles, lengthy procedures, repeated re-tenders on any pretext and non-availability of funds.

Informed circles said that power situation in coming days would assume an alarming form due to failure of the authorities concerned to install new power plants in order to cope with the growing demand.

Informed circles also said that lengthy procedures, fund constraints and re-tenders had already delayed the implementation of Chandpur Power Plant, Sylhet Power Plant, Bheramara Power Plant and two power plants at Siddhirganj.

Source: http://nation.ittefaq.com/artman/publish/article_25806.shtml