No solution for load shedding soon: Tawfiq Elahi

Prime Minister's Energy Advisor Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury has said there is no immediate solution to the existing load shedding as the government has reduced import of primary fuel to conserve foreign currency reserve.

"We have to cut fuel import considering the future situation as part of the plan to conserve foreign currencies," he told reporters on Sunday on the sideline of a seminar on the country's development.

Reinterring his call to people to be more patient and try to check any misuse of power in their consumptions, he said developed nations like Britain and Germany are now experiencing 4-5 hours of load shedding.

The energy advisor said that the government had thought that Russia-Ukraine war would stop but it has not happened.

He said there was a plan to import 1,600 MW of power from India's Adani Group and also get 1,000 MW from Rampal power plant. But transmission lines for these two projects are not ready and it will take 3-4 months more to get electricity from those, he added.

"As a result, it is unlikely to improve power supply situation very soon," Tawfiq-e-Elahi said.

He, however, said the government is trying to bring some natural gas from Bhola district and raise 1,000 MW of power generation from solar energy.

There is also a plan to replace some existing diesel-run irrigation pumps with solar-run irrigation system, he added.