The Khulna region is experiencing severe load-shedding as a major fuel shortage has forced six out of ten power plants in the region to remain shut, significantly reducing electricity generation and disrupting daily life.
Power sector officials said the ongoing global energy instability, fuelled by tensions involving Iran, Israel and the United States, has disrupted international fuel supply chains, further deepening Bangladesh’s energy crisis and impacting local generation capacity.
Sources in the power sector said Khulna currently has around 10 large and small power plants with a combined capacity of nearly 3,000 megawatts. However, due to fuel shortages, major facilities including Khulna 330MW plant, Faridpur 50MW plant, North West Power Company’s Khulna 225MW plant, Madhumati 100MW plant and Rupsha 105MW plant have remained offline.
As a result, actual electricity generation has fallen to less than half of the installed capacity.
Md Alamgir Mahfuzur Rahman, chief engineer of the Khulna 330MW power plant, said the plant is technically ready for operation but cannot run due to a lack of fuel supply.
“We are not receiving dispatch instructions from the national load dispatch centre, and there is no fuel available. We are prepared to resume operations as soon as fuel is supplied,” he said.
Although the coal-fired Rampal Power Plant continues to operate at full capacity, officials said it is not sufficient to meet the region’s growing demand.
During peak summer months, electricity demand in Khulna stands at around 1,600MW. The supply gap has resulted in daily load-shedding ranging from three to five hours in many areas.
Energy experts have attributed the crisis to global market volatility, particularly instability in the Persian Gulf region, which has affected fuel imports.
They noted that Bangladesh depends heavily on the Strait of Hormuz for energy imports, making the country vulnerable to external shocks.
Experts have also stressed the need for a shift towards renewable energy, citing cost advantages and sustainability. They said electricity from furnace oil costs over Tk18 per unit, while solar power costs around Tk9 per unit.
Environmental experts have urged accelerated investment in solar energy, including rooftop solar expansion, removal of taxes on solar equipment, and fast-tracking of solar projects to reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels.
