Energy supply situation in Chittagong improved with the resumption of gas production at offshore Sangu field yesterday noon.

The gas-fired power and fertiliser units in Chittagong, which were shut down on Wednesday evening following suspension of Sangu gas production, started working slowly.

Technicians of Shell Oil, the Anglo-Dutch operator of the gas field, restored normal 'hydraulic level' in the gas production wells

through some primary repairs.

But Shell reported to Petrobangla that the exact nature of the problem was yet to be determined.

The Power Development Board (PDB) and Petrobangla sources said the power and gas demand was lower across the country yesterday and it would remain the same today.

The peak gas demand in recent times soared as high as 1,275 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) against the Petrobangla capacity of 1,250 mmcfd.

When Sangu was shut down, there was a gas supply shortfall of 160 mmcfd. As Sangu's gas was meant for the Chittagong region, it suffered heavily yesterday.

Meanwhile, the PDB was bracing for another crisis last night as the 450 MW Meghnaghat Power Plant needed to be shut for emergency maintenance.

"The plant's cooling water pump went out of order and it needs imme

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diate repairs," said a top PDB official.

"They will shut it after the peak hours tonight (Thursday). The demand for power will be low on Friday and we expect the Meghnaghat to resume production before the evening peak hours on Saturday," he added.

The peak power demands this summer exceeded 3300 megawatt (MW). The demand will be lower by 100 MW to 150 MW on Friday, the weekly holiday.

Meanwhile, Petrobangla experts continued to warn about gas pressure and supply crisis ahead as demand showed a growing trend beyond capacity.

"We have shut the Ghorashal Fertiliser Factory to handle the low gas pressure situation," said a Petrobangla source.

"If we resume gas supply to the Ghorashal factory now, pressure would fall further and adjacent power and fertiliser plants would collapse."

He added that the gas pressure was '51 bar' instead of the minimum '55 bar' in and around Dhaka and Ghorashal.

With the resumption of Sangu gas production, power generation in Chittagong was near normal.

The second unit of Raozan 210 MW power plant and 60 MW Sikalbaha plant went into operation

yesterday afternoon.

However, it will take at least three days to start the old first unit of the Raozan power plant and ensure full supply in the Chittagong region.

Bakharabad Gas System Ltd (BGSL) sources said normalcy was restored and supply to the gas-run units also started. They expected full operation of all the industries by 7:00pm last night.

When contacted, the KAFCO, CUFL and KPM officials said they were set to start operation by 7:00pm to 8:00pm.

Meanwhile, despite disruption of supply from Sangu, domestic supply of gas continued from Salda, Bakharabad and GTCL, sources said.