According to the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB), the current installed capacity of these plants is 12,333 megawatts. However, only up to 5,000 megawatts can be utilized, which is just 40 percent of the total capacity. Due to the gas shortage, even large-capacity power plants cannot be fully utilized.

There are 71 gas-based power plants under the six gas distribution companies of Petrobangla. A report indicates 34 plants received fuel supply last Wednesday (December 11). Based on this, the remaining 37 plants were shut down. Due to the lack of adequate gas supply, BPDB's 1, 315-megawatt capacity Ashuganj Power Plant and two high-capacity Summit and Unique Group plants at Meghnaghat in Narayanganj have been shut down. Energy experts believe that if gas were supplied, these plants could produce electricity at a lower cost, and financial complications related to renting out idle plants could also be reduced.

According to BPDB sources, to utilize the full capacity of the gas-based power plants, 2,420 million cubic feet of gas is required daily. However, not all power plants can be operated due to the shortage. Additionally, BPDB requires at least 1,400 million cubic feet of gas daily to operate its fuel-based (merit dispatch order) power plants. However, Petrobangla allocates an average of only 850 million cubic feet of gas for electricity production. With this, BPDB has to ration the gas-based plants to produce electricity. As a result, sometimes government and sometimes private, large gas-based power plants have to be shut down.

When asked, Md Rezaul Karim, BPDB Chairman, told Bonik Barta, "The main reason for the underuse of gas-based power plants is the gas shortage. BPDB's electricity production costs could have been significantly reduced if these plants were operational. But that is not possible. Currently, the gas-based power plants we have are very efficient. If gas were available, all of them could have been used."

An analysis of Petrobangla's gas production and supply report from last Wednesday revealed that only nine out of the 20 plants under the distribution company Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited (TGTDCL) were operational due to the gas shortage. While the demand for gas at these 20 plants was 996 million cubic feet, only 269 million cubic feet were supplied. Among these, the highest amount of gas was supplied to Reliance Power, located at Meghnaghat in Narayanganj. The 718-megawatt capacity plant received 96 million cubic feet, although its daily gas requirement is 130 million cubic feet. Since December 6, it has been supplying electricity to the grid experimentally. However, due to limited gas supply, BPDB has not yet been able to start the commercial production of this plant.

Under the Titas jurisdiction, BPDB's 1,315-megawatt (four units) power plant at Ghorashal is shut down. Due to the gas shortage, 11 plants, including the 583-megawatt Summit Meghnaghat-2 Power Plant and the 584-megawatt Unique Meghnaghat Power Plant, have also been shut down.

Another gas distribution company in the country, Bakhrabad Gas Distribution Company, oversees 15 power plants. The total capacity of these plants is 2,754 megawatts. The daily gas demand for these plants is 423 million cubic feet. However, only 104 million cubic feet of gas is being supplied. Due to the gas shortage, eight power plants are currently shut down. However, the two plants under Bakhrabad's jurisdiction, the 225-megawatt plant at Ashuganj and the 200-megawatt plant of United Power are receiving the most gas supply.

In the Chattogram region, gas supply is managed by Karnaphuli Gas Distribution Company Limited (KGDCL). This company oversees five power plants with a total capacity of 922 megawatts. Two units with a 210-megawatt capacity in Raozan, Chattogram, have received 35 million cubic feet of gas. The daily gas demand for these two units is 95 million cubic feet.

Like Titas and Bakhrabad, another gas distribution company in the country, Jalalabad Gas Transmission and Distribution Systems Limited (JGDDSCL) oversees 19 gas-based power plants. The total capacity of these plants is 2,459 megawatts. These plants have a daily gas demand of 395 million cubic feet, but on Wednesday, only 184 million cubic feet of gas were supplied to 10 operational plants. Among these, the highest supply went to the Bibiyana 400-megawatt Power Plant in Sylhet. The plant's demand was 43 million cubic feet, but it received nearly 54 million cubic feet that day. Additionally, two units of the Shahjibazar 30-megawatt plant received 17 million cubic feet, and the Kumargaon 142-megawatt Power Plant in Sylhet received 36 million cubic feet.

Pashchimanchal Gas Company Limited (PGCL) manages gas supply in the western region of the country. Although this distribution company has eight power plants, only one was operational on Wednesday (December 11). The rest had to be shut down due to the gas shortage. Only one gas-based power plant of North West Power Generation Company Limited (NWPGCL) received a gas supply.

Sundarbans Gas Company Limited (SGCL) manages gas supply in the southeastern and southwestern regions of the country. The company oversees five power plants with a total capacity of 934 megawatts. Depending on the gas supply, only three plants were operational. The 225-megawatt power plant in the island district of Bhola received 35 million cubic feet of gas, and the 360-megawatt power plant in Bheramara, Kushtia, received 42 million cubic feet.

The country's gas crisis has been ongoing for a long time. About 2,800 million cubic feet of gas, including locally produced and imported LNG, is being supplied to the national grid. An average of 800 to 850 million cubic feet of gas is supplied to the power plants. According to top Petrobangla officials, there is no opportunity to supply more gas to the power plants. This is because gas is being supplied on a priority basis to industries and fertilizer factories.

Engineer Muhammad Kamruzzaman Khan, Petrobangla's Director (Operations), told Bonik Barta, "In winter, the electricity demand is lower, so the demand for gas in this sector also decreases slightly. However, Petrobangla supplies an average of 850 million cubic feet of gas daily to power plants. It is impossible to allocate more to electricity based on gas availability. However, gas is being prioritized for industries. The gas crisis there has eased considerably. Also, in fertilizer production, gas supply will be increased over the next five months to avoid a fertilizer shortage."