Bangladesh's power sector is again under stress, this time from a critical coal shortage and a series of technical failures at key coal-fired plants. Amid a punishing heatwave that has driven electricity demand up by at least 700MW, the country is now facing a supply shortfall of 1,800-2,000MW, severely testing the resilience of its power infrastructure.
Several major plants, including Adani Power in Godda, Rampal, and Matarbari, are either fully offline or operating far below capacity. Operational faults and boiler problems have taken entire units out of service.
At Barapukuria, where capacity stands at 444MW, only 235MW is currently being generated, largely due to mechanical issues in the largest unit. Meanwhile, Rampal's supply has been halved, and Matarbari's Unit-2 is completely offline.
One clear issue is overreliance on imported coal and the limited flexibility of logistics during adverse weather. Rampal plant requires 12,000 tonnes of coal daily to run at full capacity, yet rough seas have stalled unloading operations.
In another blow, two coal ships remain stranded at Akram Point due to siltation, a predictable challenge that dredging delays failed to address. A lack of coordination between responsible agencies has only worsened the crisis.
While Payra continues to operate at full capacity, sparing Barishal division from load-shedding, most regions across the country are now enduring scheduled power cuts. Even with all functioning plants combined, generation during peak hours remains at least 1,000MW short of demand.
Distribution companies, pressed for options, are forced to enforce rolling blackouts equally across rural and urban areas.
This crisis does not stem from lack of generation capacity. Installed capacity exceeds 27,000MW. However, availability and reliability are what matter during peak demand. The current situation exposes deeper weaknesses poor maintenance, fragile supply chains, and overdependence on a few large plants that lack operational resilience.
Long-term solutions must include diversification of energy sources, better forecasting of fuel demand, improved plant maintenance schedules, and stronger coordination among power, shipping, and port authorities.
Investment in renewables, particularly solar, should no longer remain on the policy sidelines. Enhancing local coal storage, building redundancy into critical systems, and modernising the dispatch framework are equally urgent.
Weather extremes are no longer rare, and heatwaves will continue to drive up demand. Without urgent reform and a more robust energy strategy, future crises may prove even harder to manage. This is not merely an operational hiccup but a clear signal to rethink priorities in power planning.
