The government has decided to test load shedding in the capital Dhaka to tackle the country’s power shortages and ensure priority in irrigation activities in the agricultural sector.
State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Anindya Islam Amit has made the announcement in the parliament that this step is aimed at ensuring that rural farmers do not face irrigation crisis.
In a statement to the parliament on Thursday, the state minister said there is a significant shortage in the country’s power supply and demand. According to the latest estimates, the demand was about 16 thousand megawatts, in contrast, the production of more than 14 thousand 126 megawatts. As a result, more than two thousand megawatts of deficit has been created, which is being handled through load shedding.
In this context, a plan of 110 MW load shedding was initially planned in Dhaka. The government argues that it will be easier to keep agricultural production active during the irrigation season if it is shared not only in the rural areas, but also in the city.
The state minister said the current crisis is not immediate; it is the result of long-term mismanagement, energy shortages and infrastructure constraints. A large shortage of gas supplies, in particular, is putting pressure on electricity generation. Due to the low supply compared to the daily demand, the power plants are not able to produce them at full capacity.
He added that the two major power plants are currently partially or completely closed due to maintenance, which is affecting the supply. However, the situation may improve if these centres return to production in the next few days. The government hopes that the load shedding situation will come down to a tolerable level within seven days.
According to energy sector analysts, although the decision to load shedding in the capital is symbolic, its real impact is important. This shows a new strategy of distributing demand in power management, where agriculture is being given priority.
However, the decision has also been raised among the people. The big question is how much it will have, especially in the industry, business and daily public service.
The government said it would review the test system and the situation would be taken after reviewing the situation. At the same time, it was also reiterated that priority work to develop power and gas infrastructure was also reiterated.
The state minister sought the cooperation of the people by admitting the temporary suffering. Now we have to see how effective this initiative is, and how much relief it can bring to alleviate the power crisis.