The Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) has warned that electricity supply could face immediate disruption, raising the risk of load-shedding, if generation from SS Power I Limited is suspended due to unpaid bills exceeding Tk4,000 crore.
BPDB officials acknowledged that even a partial shutdown of the coal-fired power plant, which supplies over 1,100 megawatts to the national grid, would create an instant supply gap, despite lower electricity demand during the winter season.
The warning comes after SS Power informed BPDB that persistent payment delays have severely strained its operations, limiting its ability to procure coal, spare parts and other essentials. In a letter, the company said it would be forced to shut down at least one unit unless overdue payments are settled by 15 January.
BPDB officials stressed that the loss of reliable baseload generation at this stage would significantly heighten the risk of load-shedding, particularly as alternative sources are already stretched.
