Nasrul Hamid
80 lakh people remain without electricity: Nasrul Hamid
Bangladesh State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid said on Tuesday (October 25, 2022) that some 80 lakh (8 million) consumers remained without electricity across the country after Cyclone Sitrang hit Bangladesh.
“Of this, some 60 lakh (6 million) are under the Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (BREB) and the remaining consumers are of other organisations like Nesco and WZPDCO,” he told reporters at his ministry on Tuesday.
He noted that power supply to 70 percent of the affected areas will be possible to restore by Tuesday evening while the rest 30 percent will get electricity by Wednesday afternoon.
Read: Sitrang aftermath: Some areas in southern districts still without power
Currently, the total power consumers are 4.8 crore (48 million) across the country.
Nasrul Hamid said the power supply was disrupted mainly by the falling of trees on the transmission and distribution lines.
He said that many electric poles were uprooted by the cyclone that caused blackout in many areas.
The state minister, however, said the total damage was not calculated yet.
Read: Inland water transport operations resume as Sitrang weakens
“It will take some more time to get a complete picture of the damages caused by cyclone Sitrang”, he said.
Action against those behind national grid failure by Monday: Nasrul Hamid
The Power Division will take action against those responsible for the recent national power grid failure within the next two days.
State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid said this today following a public meeting at his constituency in Keraniganj, a suburb of Dhaka city.
On October 6, the Power Grid Company of Bangladesh formed a seven-member committee to identify the reasons behind the national grid failure that caused a seven-hour blackout across most of Bangladesh.
The committee had three days to complete the investigation and submit its report. Referring to it, Nasrul Hamid said the Power Division is yet to receive the written probe report.
"However, we were informed that the grid failure was more of a management error," he added.
The state minister said they had asked the Power Division to suggest the names of those behind it. "We will terminate all of them and take divisional action."
Nasrul Hamid also hoped that a bilateral contract would be signed with Brunei to import energy from the country. Brunei Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah is now in Bangladesh.
Better coordination needed in power sector: Nasrul Hamid
State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid urged the officials of his ministry to ensure more coordination in implementing projects on development of infrastructures in the power sector.
“Many achievements are turning into failures due to lack of coordination,” he told officials at a workshop titled: “Together for a Smart & Green Bangladesh '' at Biduyt Bhaban in the city on Tuesday.
The call from the State Minister came against the backdrop of the recent grid failure that plunged most areas of the country into a 7-hour blackout on October 4.
Chinese technology company Huawei and the Power Ministry’s technical wing Power Cell jointly organised the workshop on development of smart grid and use of electric vehicles.
The State Minister said that automation of the power grid is an essential need of the hour.
“A smart grid can automatically ensure a match between the demand and the supply”, he said adding that the introduction of information technology and smart devices will keep the power transmission system secure.
He also underscored the need for development of skilled manpower in the power sector to transform the power system from conventional grid to smart grid alongside technological development.
He reiterated his call to the people to be patient in the nagging power crisis that triggered 5-6 hours of daily load shedding in and outside the capital.
Talking to reporters on the side-line of the workshop, he said the people have to wait until November to get a better power supply situation.
Two papers on Smart Grid, Electric Vehicles and Global Context were presented in the workshop. Smart grid, cyber-attack prevention, digitisation, automation as well as technology-based clean energy and electric vehicles are also discussed.
The matter of electric vehicles also came up at the workshop as such vehicles are eco-friendly and cost-effective. Bangladesh has already prepared a policy regarding charging guidelines, the workshop was told.
Power Secretary Md. Habibur Rahman and Chief Executive Officer of Huawei Technology (Bangladesh) Pan Junfeng also spoke at the event.
Load shedding: No hope of improvement before Nov, Nasrul Hamid says
State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid has said that there is no hope of improvement in the ongoing load-shedding situation in Bangladesh before November, as gas could not be imported.
He made the remark while talking to reporters at his ministry today – referring to the 5-6 hour-long load shedding throughout the day in and around Dhaka.
He said the government has to operate some power plants on an alternative basis, due to the lack of adequate fuel supply.
Read: More time needed to know why grid failed: Nasrul Hamid
“We keep some power generation units closed during daytime while others are shut down at night. That’s why the extent of load shedding has increased”, he said.
He said the Bangladesh's current load shedding situation will continue for some more days and things may improve from November.
The state minister had earlier made an assurance that after September, power supply situation would improve and there will be no load shedding from the first week of October.
Read As workweek starts, power supply situation in Dhaka worsens
When attention was drawn to his previous statement, Nasrul Hamid said that recently the demand for gas from industries has increased that prompted the government to divert some supply to them from the power plants. Production in industries has increased after the pandemic, he said.
The state minister also hinted that the situation in energy supply may persist for a longer period as the global situation is different again.
He reiterated his call to people to be more patient regarding the power and gas supply in Bangladesh.
Read Despite lower electricity demand on weekend, Dhaka residents suffer
Nasrul Hamid regrets ‘temporary inconvenience’ caused by grid failure
State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid sincerely expressed his regrets to the consumers for the “temporary inconvenience” created following the grid failure on Tuesday.
In a statement, he also requested the power customers to be patient and said that engineers and technicians of Power Grid Company of Bangladesh and the Power Development Board (BPDB) and other related departments have been working tirelessly to restore power to its previous state.
“Power supply will be completely normal soon. We will always remain by the consumer's side,” he added.
The electricity supply was first restored in Ashuganj-Sirajganj 230 KV transmission line which gradually started restoring supply to Dhaka, Chattagram, Sylhet, Comilla, Mymensingh regions.
The power generation reached 8,431 MW at 9:00pm and now the normalisation of power supply is in progress with highest caution.
The system is gradually being normalised by commissioning large generation centres in the eastern part of the national grid which covers Ghorashal, Ashuganj, Meghnaghat, Haripur, and Siddhirganj power stations.
Dhaka received 1750 MW at 9:40 pm against a demand for 2300 MW. Electricity supply restoration started in Dhaka at 5.15 pm.
Read: Power supply restored across Bangladesh after 7hrs
The statement mentioned there was an unexpected power outage at 2:04 pm in the eastern region of the national grid which covers Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet, Comilla, Mymensingh. The Power Division sincerely apologized for the unexpected power outage.
At that time, power supply was normal in the northern region that covers Rajshahi, and Rangpur division and southern region which covers Khulna and Barisal divisions.
A 6-member committee has been formed, headed by PGCB Executive Director (P&D) Yakub Elahi Chowdhury to find out the causes behind the grid failure, said the statement, adding two more committees will be formed by the Power Division.
Power supply may fully be restored by 7pm today, Nasrul Hamid hopes
After the national power grid failure earlier today, power supply was restored in some Dhaka areas, including president and prime minister’s official residences, around 5 pm today.
“We have already restored power supply in Bangabhaban and Ganobhaban, and also some parts in Mirpur and other Dhaka areas,” State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid told UNB.
Read:National grid failure: Telecom services may be disrupted
He said officials of the power companies are working hard to restore power supply all over Bangladesh.
China’s Sinopec to drill for gas at Well No-10 of Sylhet Gas Field
State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid said that the government would continue to put priority on exploration and production of natural gas.
Urging the officials to expedite the implementation of the projects in this regard, he said, it is essential to complete schemes even before the deadline.
He made the call while virtually addressing the contract signing ceremony for drilling works of the Well No-10 of the Sylhet Gas Field on Sunday.
As per the contract with the Sylhet Gas Fields Limited (SGFL), China’s Sinopec International Petroleum Service Corporation will work as turnkey contractor in the project for land development and civil works, supply of logistics and equipment, third-party engineering service and all others necessary works for drilling,
Also read: Parts of Dhaka to face 24-hour gas supply disruption Thursday
Officials hope that after completion of the drilling, about 10 million cubic feet of gas per day (MMCFD) will be produced from the well.
Nasrul said whatever the quantity of gas coming either from work over or exploration wells would play an important role in the development of the country.
He underscored the need for taking up realistic projects in gas exploration and production.
Also read: Gas Fields in Bangladesh: Exploration of 2 more wells expected to begin this year
The event was also addressed by additional secretary of the Energy and Mineral Resources Division ZAkir Hossain, Petrobangla chairman Nazmul Ahsan and managing director of the SGFL Mizanur Rahman.
Focus more on generating electricity from renewable sources: Nasrul Hamid
State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid has urged officials to pay more attention to generate electricity from renewable sources.
“You have to work with broader mindset to generate more electricity from the renewable sources,” he said, while virtually addressing a contract signing ceremony at Biduyt Bhaban on Sunday for setting up a 55 MW wind power plant in Mongla.
He said the wind project is the part of the government’s target to generate 10 percent of electricity from renewable energy by 2030 and 40 percent by 2040.
Also read: Chinese-Bangladeshi consortium, BPDB to sign deal for Mongla wind power plant tomorrow
A Chinese-Bangladeshi consortium signed the deal with Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) to set up the plant on a build-own-operate basis at Mongla in Bagerhat.
The Consortium of Envision Energy, (Jiangsu) Co. Ltd., China, SQ Trading and Engineering, Bangladesh and Envision Renewable Energy Limited, Hong Kong will develop the plant under a new special project vehicle (SPV) company Mongla Green Power Ltd.
The project cost is expected to be around $96.597m.
At the Sunday’s function, BPDB director Golam Rabbani and Mongla Green Energy’s managing director Xu Wentao signed the contract on behalf of their respective sides.
As per the deal, the state-owned BPDB will purchase electricity from the plant at a levelized tariff of 13.20 Cents, equivalent to Tk13 per kilowatt hour (each unit).
The BPDB will purchase electricity from the independent power producer (IPP) plant over a period of 20 years spending a total of more than Tk 2000 crore.
Also read: Nasrul Hamid wants filling stations to get facelift, upgraded facilities
This has been the second deal for wind power for which the BPDB signed contract with the private sector sponsor.
Earlier, the BPDB signed the first deal with US-DK Green Energy (BD), a private firm, fir setting up a 60 MW wind power plant at Cox’s Bazar.
Nasrul Hamid inaugurated the ground breaking of the Cox’s Bazar plant in March this year.
Nasrul Hamid wants filling stations to get facelift, upgraded facilities
State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid has asked his ministry officials to ensure more attractive filling stations, offering all modern facilities.
“You must ensure the filling stations are built with an attractive look by ensuring standard facilities. There must be clean and adequate wash blocks,” he said, at a review meeting at the energy division on a project undertaken by the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) to build GPS location-based filling stations.
He also directed the officials to expedite the implementation of the project and use modern technologies in strengthening the BPC’s petroleum fuel sales network under a strong monitoring system.
According to the officials, the energy division took up the project to build a new type of filling station on the country’s highways, where modern amenities for drivers and passengers such as separate dormitories for men and women, washrooms, ATM booths, cafeteria, parking area, and a prayer room would be accommodated.
Read: Power crisis will not last long: Nasrul Hamid
Motorists and commuters would even use the dormitories at night for a small fee, the official said.
At present, officials said, there are 2297 refueling stations across the country. However, most of them lack even basic facilities like washrooms for drivers and passengers.
Also at today's meeting, Nasrul Hamid said the monitoring activities have to be strengthened to check adulteration in petroleum sold to the public.
Appreciating the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) for updating the data on the country's filling stations, he said the GPS locations of the refueling stations have to be integrated with the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) map of the organization.
Senior secretary of the Energy Division Mabub Hossain, BPC chairman ABM Azad, and Padma Oil Company’s managing director Md Abu Saleh Ikbal and other top officials were present at the meeting.
Government cuts fuel prices by Tk5 per litre
The government Monday lowered fuel prices by Tk5 per litre 23 days after raising the prices by up to 51.68 percent.
Prices of diesel and kerosene will now be Tk109, petrol Tk125, and octane Tk130 per litre at the filling stations, State Minister for Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid told UNB.
Also, a gazette notification was issued by the Energy and Mineral Resources Division on the new prices, which will be effective from Tuesday midnight.
Also read: Diesel price likely to come down in a day or two: Nasrul Hamid
The new development came hours after Nasrul said the government was going to make a decision on the adjustment of fuel prices within a day or two.
On August 6, the government increased fuel prices to a record high.Diesel and kerosene retail prices were fixed at Tk114, petrol at Tk130 per litre and octane at Tk135 per litre.
Also read: Import tax on diesel cut by 5 percent