No change in electricity prices, supply to be normal in Ramadan: Fouzul
Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Adviser Mohammad Fouzul Kabir Khan assured the public on Wednesday that despite financial challenges in the electricity sector, there are currently no plans to increase electricity prices.
Speaking to reporters after an inter-ministerial meeting at Bidyut Bhaban in the capital in the evening, he emphasised the government's commitment to maintaining normal electricity supply during the upcoming Ramadan.
Fouzul stated that although the electricity sector faces a financial crisis, the government has no intention of raising electricity prices for existing consumers in the near future. "Despite significant pressure, we have refrained from increasing electricity prices," he explained. "We are addressing the issue by cutting costs where possible."
Regarding gas prices, he clarified that the recent proposal to raise them would not affect current customers. The cost of importing liquefied natural gas (LNG) stands at Tk 72 per unit, while it is sold domestically at Tk 30. To bridge this gap, a slight price adjustment may be introduced for new gas connections only.
To meet the increased electricity demand during Ramadan and the summer months, the adviser outlined several measures:
Gas Supply: Currently, 900 million cubic feet per day (MMCFD) of gas is allocated to the electricity sector. This will be increased to 1,200 MMCFD during Ramadan to ensure sufficient power generation.
LNG Imports: Four cargoes of LNG will be imported to supplement domestic gas supplies.
Demand Management: The estimated electricity demand during Ramadan is 15,700 MW, rising to 18,000 MW in summer. Fouzul urged citizens to conserve energy, particularly in cooling systems. He noted that 6,000 MW of the summer demand is attributed to air conditioning, known as the "cooling load." By setting air conditioners to 24–25 degrees Celsius instead of lower temperatures, up to 3,000–4,000 MW could be saved.
Fouzul iterated the government's goal of avoiding load shedding during Ramadan and summer. However, he cautioned that localised power outages might still occur due to technical issues.
"Load shedding-free does not mean zero power outages everywhere," he explained. "Our focus is on maintaining a balance between supply and demand so that outages happen only for unavoidable reasons."
The adviser stressed that irrigation demands would remain a priority, given their critical role in ensuring food security. "We do not intend to reduce electricity supply for irrigation purposes, as disruptions could harm agricultural productivity," he said.
Supply shortages, according to Khan, are partly caused by illegal gas and electricity connections. "We will continue our efforts to identify and disconnect all unauthorised connections," he affirmed.
