Daily power demand hits 18,000MW in summer: Minister

Bangladesh’s peak daily electricity demand during the summer and irrigation season stands at around 18,000MW, said Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood in Jatiya Sangsad.

He said the government has undertaken a series of measures, including fuel diversification, renewable energy expansion and power infrastructure development, to meet the growing demand.

Responding to a starred question from ruling party lawmaker Md. Abul Kalam (Cumilla-9) during the day’s question-answer session, the minister said that although there is currently no overall electricity shortage in relation to demand, occasional power disruptions occur during periods of peak consumption due to shortages of primary fuel, limitations in transmission and distribution infrastructure, maintenance activities and adverse weather conditions.

He said the government has formulated a 180-day action plan to implement its election manifesto commitments in the power sector and is pursuing short, medium and long-term plans for electricity generation.

The government is also expanding and upgrading transmission and distribution networks, promoting renewable energy, diversifying fuel sources and implementing energy conservation measures to ensure reliable power supply and meet future demand.