The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

While the country runs short of power, the coming irrigation season that starts from mid-January will require additional 1,000MW electricity for operating an increased number of pumps mainly for watering paddies.

The number of irrigational pumps will be increased by 11 percent across the country, in order to support massive crop cultivation, especially growing paddy, as there is a need of recouping a colossal loss the agricultural sector suffered in two-pronged floods and super-cyclone SIDR in recent times.

Disclosing the information on Sunday at a press briefing at Bidyut Bhaban, Power and Energy Advisor Tapan Chowdhury said that there would be 300-650MW load shedding to ensure adequate power supply to the pumps.

Country's power generation will be between 3,600 and 3,800 megawatts in the upcoming dry season.

He said electricity connections would be provided to a total of 2.5 lakh irrigational pumps across the country in the coming year. "This figure is 11 percent higher than that of the outgoing year."

Power Secretary Dr. M fouzul Kabir Khan and other senior officials of Power and Energy Ministry were present at the press briefing.

Tapan Chowdhury claimed that the Power Division has taken all-out efforts to ensure requisite and quality electricity supply to the irrigational pumps.

Under the initiative, he said, the government-run irrigation projects and the private projects which cover large areas would get the highest priority in getting electricity supply.

The power advisor of the caretaker government mentioned that power generation units have been overhauled targeting smooth electricity during the irrigation season.

He said coal production at the Barapukuria coal mine would be in full swing in two phases to supply adequate coal to the adjacent 250MW coal-fired power plant. "We hope both the units of the plants will be operating in the coming season."

Tapan Chowdhury, however, said despite the efforts, the power department has to go for the load shedding although there would be lower electricity demand across the country in the current winter when the irrigation season starts.

He said during the operation of the irrigation pumps, there would be huge reactive power which might lead to low- voltage problem in the city's power-supply system.

To address the problem, DESA and DESCO will take necessary measures, he told the journalists.

The power advisor said some measures have been taken in line with suggestions made by the investigation committee to forestall disaster in the national grid in future.