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Govt meets industry operators to discuss gas, power crises today

UNB, Dhaka
Against the backdrop of severe crises in power and gas supply, Chief Advisor's Special Assistant for Power and Energy Ministry Dr M Tamim is set to hold a meeting today with industrialists and business leaders to discuss the dos in the situation.
According official sources, the Energy Ministry has convened the meeting at Ham in its conference room.
I he country has been experiencing severe power and gas shortages, which badly affected civic life and business and operation of mills and factories.
The state-owned Power Development Board (PDB) could supply hardly 3600MW electricity against a demand for more than 4700MWs while Petrobangla could supply
1800 million cubic feet per day (mmefd) gas against a demand for over 2000mmcfd.
However, officially the power demand is admitted to be around 4500MWs while gas demand is said to be
1900mmcfd.
To manage the situation, the government has recently taken a decision to cut gas supply to industries by some 40 percent to divert the fuel for power generation.
After the decision, the industry operators reacted sharply. The Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers Association (BKMEA) has stated in response to this decision that it would lose some S 1.0 billion if this decision remained effective for the two and a half months as planned. Other industries have also expressed their fears of suffering similar losses, or worse.
Presently, the duo of PDB and Petrobangla has been facing huge constraints to enhancing their production.
The official said that despite having a capacity, they have to reduce electricity generation by about 800MWs through keeping the generation units under a shutdown due to gas shortages.
On the other hand, Petrobangla has very limited option to increase their supply.
Petrobangla officials said, at present, they have only option to ask the Chevron gas company to enhance production at the Bibiyana gas field which is now producing about 450mmcfd.
They said the gas field has a capacity to augment their production by another 150mmcfd. But despite having the option, it takes time to meet the current demand as there is a constraint in the gas-transmission line.
The government undertook a number of projects to enhance the gas-transmission capacity through installing new lines and compressors. But these projects are being delayed in the implementation stage.
About the production enhancement at Bibiyana gas field, Chevron's Bangladesh chief Steve Wilson told UNB that his company is yet to think about the output enhancement as there is no request from Petrobangla.
“If we get request from Petrobangla, then we'll consider the matter," he said.