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The power ministry at a meeting Wednesday decided to implement a load management system to ease the frequency of power outages that have taken a serious turn with the onset of summer season.
The ministry has formed separate committees for eight distribution zones of the Dhaka Electric Supply Authority (DESA) and a special committee for the country's northern region to monitor power distribution during summer, meeting sources said.
The committees will work round-the-clock under supervision of the power secretary, Nazrul Islam, who has been asked to keep the power ministry and the Prime Minister Office (PMO) informed with the power supply and distribution situation everyday.
The meeting also decided to realise PDB's huge outstanding electricity bills amounting to Tk 80 billion. Of the total arrears, Tk 70.0 remained outstanding with DESA while Tk 10 billion with REB and other establishments.
The DESA has been asked to launch a crackdown on consumers, who have arrear bills up to three months.
State Minister for Power Iqbal Hasan Mahmood chaired the meeting which was attended, among others, by high officials of Power Development Board (PDB), DESA, Dhaka Electric Supply Company (DESCO) and Rural Electrification Board (REB).
"We have planned to implement the load management system to give a respite to people during hot summer days. The load management will help us save electricity from 400 mw to 500 mw, especially during peak-hours," said a power ministry official.
Against the backdrop of generation shortfall, supply disruption and voltage fluctuation, the ministry has decided to implement the system to minimise the vexing power crisis, the official pointed out.
Under the load management system, the authorities have planned to keep the power supply suspended to large commercial establishments and shopping malls on area-basis from 6pm to 10pm once in a week.
The DESA will shed the highest load in Lalbagh, Siddirganj and Tongi due to high system losses. The rate of system loss in these areas varies between 35 per cent and 40 per cent on an average.
Last year, the power ministry introduced such load management and got a satisfactory result despite some weaknesses in the implementation process. This year, the ministry is hopeful that it would be able to implement the system properly with the help of the power consumers.
The city dwellers' woes have started mounting with the rise of power disruptions in recent weeks.
As peak-hour begins in the evening, residents from almost every part of the city start experiencing power outages.
Such nagging power failures coupled with low voltage have not only been causing inconveniences to the people but also damaging their valuable household electrical appliances, city residents alleged.
The city areas including Tejgaon, Jatrabari, Lalbag, Bakshi Bazar, Azimpur, Elephant Road, Motijheel, Basabo, Maghbazar, Sanir Akhra, Dania and Rampura have been experiencing power blackout for longer period ranging from one to four hours almost every day.
Miseries have multiplied for the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinees as they are compelled to use candlelight for preparation of their examinations.
According to the power ministry, the country generates power between 3,200 mw and 3,500 mw daily against the demand of over 4,000. During the summer, the peak-hour demand stands at over 4,200 mw.
The off-peak hour's demand of electricity in the capital is about 900 mw but it varies between 1,400 mw and 1,600 mw during peak-hours daily in summer.
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