Stop misuse of power during Ramadan: Tawfiq

DHAKA, July 13 (BSS) - Adviser to the Prime Minister Dr. Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury today sought cooperation from all to ensure smooth power supply during iftar, tarabi and sehri time.

"Although the power generation has been increased and we are in better position than two years back, we need to stop misuse of power as we still have some shortfall," Tawfiq said.

He said, "If we cut some luxuries from our life through a promise that we will not use air-conditioner during this holy month, we can ensure power supply to all during Ramadan."

He was addressing a press briefing after a joint meeting with Power Development Board (PDB) and Petrobnagla. The power and energy ministry organised the meeting to ensure power supply during Ramadan.

During the meeting, the power division sought the energy ministry's support to fulfill their expectation fore freeing the country from loadshedding during iftar, tarabi and sehri time.

Power division made this plea at the joint meeting held at power, energy and mineral division with State Minister for Power Energy and Mineral Resources Enamul Haque in the chair.

Dr. Tawfiq, Petrobangla chairman Dr. Hossain Monsur and top officials of the power and energy ministry, key persons of the utility agencies including PDB, DPDC, DESCO were present.

BPDB officials told the meeting that if they get 880 to 890 mmcf gas during the holy month of Ramadan, they would produce 5402 MW of power.

Petrobangla is now supplying 738-mmcf gas daily on an average and due to gas shortage, PDB fails to produce 500 to 600 MW more electricity.

PDB officials told the meeting that the demand of electricity during Ramadan would be 6000-6200 MW. "We could produce 5200 to
5500 MW of electricity during the month," he added.

The meeting decided to direct the load-management committees to ensure power to all at list one time between iftar and sehri across the country.

The Adviser said at the press briefing that the situation would be handled through load staggering, load-management and urging the people not to use AC in this month.

"We expect that our generation would stand at 5000 MW to 5200 MW during Ramadan and chalk out a plan to ensure power supply to all mosques during iftar, tarabi and sehri time," Power division secretary M. Abul Kalam Azad said.

Aiming to keep the loadshedding situation under control during Ramadan, the officials will sit with the local religious leaders and shop owners to make a short- period acceptable loadshedding chart throughout the country.

The meeting decided to sit with the shop owners to ask them to stop using air conditioners in shopping malls from 5 pm to the end of tarabi prayers up to 15th of Ramadan.

The meeting also asked the PDB to start all furnace oil based, coal based and hydro-power projects during Ramadan for uninterrupted supply of power.

The PDB officials told the meeting that they are expecting that 150 MW electricity will be added to the national grid by this time.

The power ministry also decided to request the re-rolling and steel mills to stop production during evening peak hours to save huge gas and power.

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