Download Link for Energy & Power Vol 21 Issue 07 (September 16, 2023) as PD/userfiles/EP_21_7.pdf

The power sector has emerged as a complete puzzle in Bangladesh. It's currently wrestling with a significant problem: there's way more electricity production capacity than the country actually needs. This surplus capacity often remains unused because it has become difficult to get enough fuel to run the power plants, and this idleness is costing the consumers as well as the government exchequer a lot in terms of capacity charges and rent. People from all walks of life, including citizens, consumer rights bodies, and politicians from opposition political parties are raising their voices against this issue. They're pointing fingers at poor planning and the inability to ensure a steady supply of fuel as the main culprits behind the financial losses in the power sector. What's surprising is that a whopping 25% of the national budget's subsidies are pouring into the power sector. But even with all this support, the Bangladesh Power Development Board is struggling to pay its bills to independent power producers. As a result, consumers have had to bear the brunt of rising electricity prices for over a decade. The government is working on a master plan, but it is missing some key details about what the country needs in the future and what kinds of fuel it should use.

To fix this mess, experts are calling for better planning, more realistic predictions of power demand, and stricter financial control. Otherwise, the progress made so far in the power sector might be overshadowed by controversies and financial woes.

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