Hasina ran away keeping over Tk 79,000 cr liability for PDB

Zarif Mahmud: In the last 15 and a half years of the Awami League government, more emphasis was placed on increasing the power generation capacity. Although the electricity production capacity stands at 27,791 megawatts, not even half of it is actually being used. Yesterday, 45 centers were completely or partially closed due to the crisis of primary energy, gas and oil. Private centers are unable to import furnace oil regularly due to non-payment of regular bills. India also reduced its electricity exports by 22 percent. All in all, the power supply situation is critical.
According to the Power Development Board (PDB) data, PDB currently has a liability of around Tk 79 thousand crores. Among them, the bill of electricity import from India is over one billion dollars. Besides, PDB is not able to regularly pay the loan installments of various power plants due to fund shortage. Leaving the power sector in such a fragile state, Sheikh Hasina fled to India on August 5 in a student-community coup. The company is not looking at the option of load shedding without getting any temporary solution to the power supply situation.
Recently, PDB presented the picture of their financial situation before the Advisor on Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, Fawzul Kabir Khan.
It can be seen that PDB has outstanding bills of Tk 15,227 crores with various gas companies. Out of this, the arrears of government power plants are Tk 4,074 crores and IPP (Independent Power Producers) i.e. large power plants of the private sector are Tk 11,152 crores of arrears.
Apart from this, there is arrears of electricity bills purchased from IPPs of Tk 30,640 crores and Tk 8,252 crores or about $700 crores of electricity import bills from India. However, at the end of last July, this arrears increased to $900 million and at the end of August, $104 million. PDB has outstanding loan installments of $820 million, of which $660 million is to be repaid directly in dollars. The rest is to be paid in yen and euros. The installment of this loan has to be paid directly to PDB.
Meanwhile, another Tk 16,337 crore is due for installments of the loans that the government has given to PDB at various times. This amount does not have to be paid directly to PDB. PDB loan installments are disbursed by the Economic Relations Department (ERD) on behalf of the Government of Bangladesh. And PDB pays that amount to ERD for DSL.
According to sources, although the government has given Tk 33 thousand crore as subsidy to PDB in the last financial year, the entire amount has not been given in cash. Tk 20,133 crores have been given through bonds, which has created a long-term liability of the government. And for subsidy, the government still owes PDB about Tk 35 thousand crores. PDB will be able to pay the outstanding bills of IPP and gas after getting this money.
On the other hand, currently 43 of the 144 power plants in the country are completely closed, due to which the production capacity is 27,791 MW, but the maximum production yesterday was 12,869 MW. During this time, about two thousand megawatt loadshedding takes place. However, yesterday (September 10) there was a maximum load shedding of 2,312 MW at 12 pm, which is the highest in the last two months.
Among the currently closed power plants which are on IPP or quick rental, either due to expiry of contracts or non-availability of furnace oil and diesel and insufficient supply of gas. Among the important power plants, 1,000 MW is coming in place of Adani’s 1,500 MW. Besides, 900 MW is coming from other centers of India instead of 1,160 MW.
According to sources, currently 21 power plants are closed due to expiry of contract. Besides, 22 centers are partially closed due to engine problems. Eight centers are closed for maintenance. Due to gas shortage, electricity is not available from 23 centers, out of which 9 are partially closed and 14 are completely closed. And due to fuel crisis, 22 centers are closed, of which 20 are partially closed and two are completely closed. Apart from this, six more centers are closed due to various reasons. According to PDB, 14,681 MW of electricity can be supplied against the maximum demand of 16,200 MW at 9 pm yesterday. In this, load shedding can be as much as 1500 megawatts at 9 pm. But PDB starts reducing power generation normally from 10 pm onwards. However, demand is high till 12 midnight. This increases the load shedding from 10 am onwards for the next few hours.
Incidentally, the country’s daily gas demand is 380 million cubic feet. Out of this, the situation was handled by supplying 300 million cubic feet. 1100 million cubic feet of LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) comes through two floating terminals at Maheshkhali in Cox’s Bazar. Summit’s LNG terminal has been closed since May 27. LNG supply stands at 600 million cubic feet per day.
Overall, the gas supply has come down to 260 million cubic feet per day. The supply of gas to the power sector has decreased to 82 million cubic feet. Even two and a half months ago, a maximum of six and a half thousand megawatts of electricity was produced from gas. Now it is five thousand MW. As a result, there is load shedding throughout the day. Loadshedding is being provided for 10-12 hours a day in rural areas.