Load-shedding affects public life in Barishal

Sept 10: Public life is facing serious trouble in the district due to unabated load-shedding.

Treatment activities are hampered in hospitals having dengue and diarrhoea patients.

On an average, 1,000 dengue patients are getting admitted to government hospitals per day. The growing numbers of patients cannot be accommodated due to bed shortage. Even floors have already been filled with patients.

With the electricity outage at night, an inhuman situation appears in the hospitals.

On Sept 3 at 10 pm, 30 per cent electricity load against the demand was cut from all 33/11 KV sub-stations including those in the city. Only from Barishal region, about 2,500 megawatt (mw) electricity is being supplied to the national grid.

The pick time electricity demand in the evening is about 500 mw in the region. Of the total demand, the load shedding is over 150 mw.

The load shedding is jointly maintained by Central Load Dispatch Centre of Power Cell and West Zone's Regional Load Dispatch Centre.

When contacted, engineers of Power Development Board, Western Power Distribution Company, and Transmission Company PGCB could not give any satisfactory answer.

According to them, electricity deficit against demand is prevailing across the country, and it is the same in Barishal.

It was learnt, due to crisis of imported diesel, many production units are only running at the pick hour in the evening. The load-shedding starts to increase after 10 pm.

Night darkness is creating security concern in localities including the city. Most industrial productions are hampered. Despite electricity production suspension at night, salary of night shift labourers is being counted.

At present, the load-shedding is also made in day time. Due to this, water supply to government-private offices and houses is hampered.

For the last several days, 35-36 degree Celsius temperature is recorded. With this, the electricity deficit is going up.

The national grid is getting 110 mw from Summit Power, 190 mw from PDB's 225 mw Combined Power Station, 225 mw from a private power station, 155 mw from United Power in Patuakhali, 1,320 mw from two units of 660 mw Payra Thermal Power Plant, and 355 mw from Taltali Thermal Power Centre.

Besides, another private power plant in Bhola is supplying about 30 mw to this coastal district and some areas of Patuakhali.

About 2,500 mw of electricity is being added to the national grid in the southern region. But its demand of about 500 mt is not met by the Central Load Dispatch Centre of the Power Division.