The New Nation - Internet Edition

Chittagong Correspondent

Scorching summer heat coupled with frequent power outage have apparently put the Instant Power Supply (IPS), a power storing device, and portable power generator traders and manufacturers into business they hardly made in the recent years.

The IPS traders are doing brisk business in the recent months, which reportedly outcast the annual turnovers of the recent years, according to the top IPS manufacturers and traders in the city.

The electricity dependent urban-life is no longer able to sustain the hazards caused from power outage forcing many of the solvent families to procure IPS or gas-run-generators as their alternative sources of electricity. Users are no more considering the IPS or the power generators as the elements of luxury but the part of everyday life.

Different offices, residential units and elementary schools have already installed the IPS in the recent months to fight the routine power outage and to tackle the bad days staying ahead.

"Increasing number of city apartments are gradually going under the electricity backup from the IPS in addition to the diesel generation unit because of its noise and fuel free operation," a trader said adding that the IPSs of both foreign and domestic origin are top on the demand list.

Mrs. Rafiya Sultana who recently has installed an IPS at her home to get rid of sultry summer said, "I'm no more worried for power outage as I've procured an alternative source of electricity at a cost of Taka 35,000."

She informed that her IPS unit would provide total backup of the apartment during the blackout time only keeping the refrigerators and other power-intensive devises out.

Plant Engineer of a leading manufacturer of IPS in the country, Mohammadullah told this correspondent that demand for the medium output IPS grew fast making instant delivery of a unit difficult even if the payment is made.

We used to deliver the IPS within a day or two. But time has changed; we're really under pressure simply to address the fast growing demands, Aman said adding that we, however, usually deliver the IPS within the shortest possible time.

Consumers may buy the IPSs of output capacity between 280 watts and 1200 watts at prices between Taka 18,000 to Taka 65,000. Several private companies like Navana, Ranks, Janani, Modern, Supersonic, Butterfly, Singer and Intraco - are also manufacturing IPS.

The frustrating scenario in the power sector has compelled large industrial units and business organizations like television channels procuring industrial IPS in order to keep their power supply uninterrupted.

The peak-hour power demand in the country stood at 8500 megawatts when the existing power stations had been generating slightly above 3200 megawatts a day.

Experts said the power situation is unlikely to improve in the next few years, as the government is yet to decide on installation of larger power generation plants.