Life, industry disrupted as load-shedding exceeds 2,000MW

Highlights

• 2,000MW national deficit as supply fails to meet peak demand
• 40-45% load-shedding recorded in Savar and Sylhet districts
• 8-10 hour outages hitting rural areas and northern districts
• Export deadlines at risk as Gazipur industrial production stalls
• Boro irrigation hit by 8-hour daily cuts, threatening crop yields
• Tanneries and tourism hit by prolonged outages and fuel shortages

Load-shedding exceeded 2,000MW nationwide early yesterday as power generation lagged behind rising summer demand, disrupting daily life, industry and agriculture, with rural areas facing the longest power cuts.

According to data from the Power Grid Bangladesh, generation stood at 13,198MW against a projected demand of 15,200MW at 1am, indicating a gap of more than 2,000MW. The power system is under mounting pressure, with generation struggling to consistently exceed the 15,000MW level needed during peak demand.

Load-shedding across regions ranges from around 28% in Gazipur to over 45% in Savar, while Sylhet is experiencing outages of around 40%. In many areas, electricity is going out several times a day for hours, with rural regions facing longer outages of up to eight to 10 hours, report our correspondents.

The crisis has been significantly deepened by multiple power plants remaining shut or operating below capacity. In Chattogram, nine of the region's 28 plants are out of operation, while in Khulna, six out of 10 plants remain offline due to fuel shortages and technical faults.

The crisis is already affecting key sectors, with factories reporting production slowdowns, businesses facing rising costs and farmers struggling to irrigate fields during the ongoing boro season.

Load-shedding intensifies amid demand-supply gap

Across districts, the supply shortfall is reflected in varying levels of load-shedding, with significant gaps between demand and available electricity.

In Gazipur, around 28% load-shedding was recorded as demand reached 485MW against a supply of 349MW, according to the local Palli Bidyut authority.

The situation is more severe in Savar, where outages have exceeded 45% on some days. For instance, on Thursday, demand stood at 319MW against a supply of 175MW.

In Sylhet, load-shedding is averaging around 40%, with a total demand of about 477MW – including 170MW under the Power Development Board (PDB) and 307MW under Palli Bidyut – against supplies of around 130MW and 167MW respectively, leaving significant shortfalls.

Khulna is also facing shortages, with peak demand of 650-670MW against a supply of 540-570MW, leaving a deficit of up to 110MW. Rural areas there are facing an additional shortfall of 200-300MW.

In Barishal, officials said electricity supply can fall short by up to 33% compared to demand of 160-170MW, forcing regular outages.

Frequent outages disrupt daily life

The widening supply gap has led to frequent and prolonged power cuts, disrupting daily life during the ongoing heatwave, with rural areas facing longer and more severe outages.

In Gazipur, residents said the heat has made outages difficult to endure. Bulbul from Madhab Bari said, "It is difficult to stay indoors. Without fans, we cannot keep doors open due to mosquitoes."

In Savar, electricity remains unavailable for large parts of the day, with outages lasting five to six hours and continuing at night in some areas. Amirun Nesa from Bank Town said, "There are four to five power cuts daily, and without electricity at night, it is difficult to rest."

In Sylhet, outages are occurring almost every hour in some areas, with power often taking more than an hour to return once it goes out. Samia Begum from Shibgonj said electricity "goes off again and again", making it difficult for her child to study ahead of exams.

In rural areas, outages are more prolonged. Residents in northern districts including Bogura said power cuts can last up to a total of eight to 10 hours a day, while in Savar's rural belts and parts of Barishal, electricity goes out every few hours, leaving households without power for extended periods.

Similar patterns of frequent outages were reported in other districts.

Power plant shutdowns deepen crisis

The supply shortfall has been compounded by multiple power plants remaining shut or operating below capacity, limiting overall electricity generation.

In Chattogram, nine of the region's 28 power plants and major units remained out of operation. Key units at Raozan and Juldha were shut, while several hydropower units at Kaptai remained offline due to low water levels.

In Khulna, at least six of the region's 10 power plants – including Khulna (330MW), Faridpur (50MW), North West Power Company (225MW), Madhumati (100MW) and Rupsha (105MW) – remain shut, reducing generation to below half of installed capacity.

In Sylhet, officials said three power plants are not generating electricity due to mechanical faults.

Officials said the shutdowns are driven by fuel supply disruptions – linked to the ongoing Middle East conflict affecting LNG and fuel imports – along with technical issues, increasing reliance on load-shedding.

Industry and businesses face production losses

Frequent power cuts are disrupting industrial output and business operations, with enterprises struggling to maintain production amid unreliable electricity supply.

In Gazipur, one of the country's main industrial hubs, factory operations have slowed significantly. Nasir Uddin, managing director of Sadma Group, said, "Industrial production is nearly stalled due to the power crisis. With Eid ahead, we are uncertain about timely exports."

In Savar, tannery operators said they are unable to properly preserve hides due to prolonged outages. Md Sakhawat Ullah, vice-president of Bangladesh Tanners Association, said electricity remains unavailable for long hours and not all machinery can run on generators.

In Bogura, manufacturers reported a decline in output. Toufiqul Islam Nirob, owner of Bithi Plastic, said production has dropped by around 15%, as machines require uninterrupted power and take time to restart after outages.

In Sylhet, trader Junaid Ahmed said irregular power supply is causing losses, with customers often leaving after placing orders due to outages.

Tourism in Kuakata has also been affected. Abdus Sakkur, manager of Best Southern Hotel, said frequent load-shedding and diesel shortages are making it difficult to run generators. 

Agriculture under pressure

Power cuts are also affecting irrigation during the ongoing boro season, raising concerns over crop yields.

In Brahmanbaria, farmers said frequent outages are disrupting the operation of electricity-run irrigation pumps, with power unavailable for seven to eight hours a day in some areas. Abdul Aziz from Nabinagar said irregular supply is delaying watering schedules, affecting crop growth.

A similar situation is reported in Khulna, where farmers said irrigation is being hampered as electricity is not available when pumps need to operate, increasing the risk of lower yields.

With inputs from our correspondents in Gazipur, Savar, Chattogram, Khulna, Barishal, Bogura, Sylhet and Brahmanbaria