<div><b><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Generation and supply gap is widening in power production, leading to load shedding of over 1500 MW across the country today.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>The official data of state-owned Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) shows that the country had an actual shortage of about 1,401 MW electricity against a demand of 16,000 MW on Sunday as the total power generation reached 14,599 MW during peak evening hours.</div><div><br></div><div>Similarly, BPDB data shows that the country is expected to generate 15,160 MW against a demand of 16,000 MW and a load shedding forecast was given to be 840 MW during peak evening hours — mainly from 7 pm to 11 pm — when the country uses the highest electricity.</div><div><br></div><div>Most top officials of BPDB, however, believe it would not be possible to generate the electricity from the operating plants as per the forecast made for today due to different reasons.</div><div><br></div><div>They said due to high temperatures, power plants are vulnerable to interruption.</div><div><br></div><div>Machines of some plants cannot cope with the high temperature and trip, said a top official of BPDB.</div><div><br></div><div>BPDB statistics show that the country will experience a total of 1,291 MW of load shedding, of which Khulna region will face the highest load shedding of 350 MW, followed by Mymensingh 249 MW, Cumilla 240 MW, Rajshahi 210 MW, Rangpur 132 MW, Sylhet 100 MW and Dhaka 10 MW while Chattogram and Barishal will have no load shedding.</div><div><br></div><div>It also shows that the coal-fired Rampal Maitree Super Thermal Plant of BIFPCL could not resume operation after shutting down two days back. As a result, the national grid is not getting 617 MW from the plant.</div><div><br></div><div>The sudden shutdown of Rampal power plant has a big impact on the grid which ultimately increased the shortage, said another BPDB official.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>