There was a time when international oil and gas companies’ operative in Bangladesh were advocating for gas export. They even said, there may be time when gas resource will not be important any more due to newer technology and newer energy sources. .
They also said Bangladesh is a gas rich country; there will be a day when Bangladeshis will forget that once they were a poor nation. So to become a rich nation they should export their gas.
But local experts always said we don’t have enough gas to export. Our proven gas reserve is not even enough for our own economy.
Now we all know Bangladesh is now in a deep electricity crisis. A prominent energy expert M Tamim says, if there was no gas shortage, there were no electricity crisis. Because our old inefficient power stations also could meet our need. Main crisis is in our primary fuel. We don’t have enough oil, gas or coal.
Our present power stations could generate more 700 MW electricity if enough gas supply was available. The Jamuna fertilizer factory at Tarakandi and Chittagong Urea Fertilizer Ltd are now closed due to gas shortage, as electricity generation is the top priority of the government now.
In the coming holy month of Ramadan the govt. will be under more pressure to supply uninterrupted power supply, especially during iftar, sehri and tarabi prayers.
The power plants require 880mmcfd gas but Petrobangla is supplying 727mmcfd. To meet the demand, the govt. may issue an order today which will ask CNG-filling stations to shut for six hours from 3.00pm.
Temperature has risen for about last couple of weeks which triggered more frequent load shedding.
Bangladesh Power Development Board is planning to introduce mobile court in a bid ensure timely closure of shopping malls.
