The New Nation - Internet Edition

Chittagong Correspondent

The port city and its outskirts including the industrial belts are likely to suffer worst ever power and water scarcity this summer mainly feared to be caused from declining gas supply.

No virtual development has been reported in the field of gas and power sectors making the water supply system further vulnerable. Energy analysts predicted rather severe scarcity this time inflicting greater damage to the national economy.

Usual production at the export-oriented industrial units will greatly suffer from the assumed power crisis apart from dropping foreign investment what may take the target of the country's GDP (Gross Domestic Product) away.

Informed sources said that immediate remedial move for recovering gas supply might help a lot in addressing the generation shortfall and water crisis by extracting subsoil water.

Managing Director of the Bakhrabad Gas Systems Limited (BGSL) Quamrul Islam told the reporters that they had been trying their best for keeping the gas supply uninterrupted especially in Chittagong.

According to the PDB officials the power demand of the city will cross 570 megawatts in the summer while the current generation status is approximately 400 megawatts. The shortfall has to be addressed either by sharing the national grid or by load-management.

Chance of potential sharing of the national power grid for addressing the generation shortfall in Chittagong is poor mainly in the wake of fast rising demand of power in the capital.

Shikolbaha gas turbine power plant went to idle state for a long simply for want of adequate supply of gas while the generation at Rawzan thermal power plant dropped significantly because of fluctuating gas pressure. None could tell for sure when would the 60-megawatt Shikolbaha power plant returns to generation.

Engineers feared that the generation at Rawzan thermal power plant might drop further if the required gas pressure is not restored. Approximately 10 and 80 millions cubic feet gas supply is needed respectively for taking Shikolbaha and Raozan back to generation.