Bangladesh to Add 1,950MW Power by End of April

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The Bangladesh Power Development Board (Bangladesh Power Development Board) has said the national grid is expected to receive an additional 1,950 megawatts of electricity by the end of April, which could ease ongoing power shortages during the current heatwave.

BPDB Chairman Engineer Rezaul Karim said the new supply will come from several sources, including Adani Power, the SS Power plant in Chattogram, and the RNPL joint venture project in Patuakhali.

He said these coal-based plants are gradually resuming operations after temporary disruptions. A coal shipment is expected to arrive at Payra port on Sunday, which will help restart production at key facilities.

According to BPDB officials, around 750 megawatts from Adani Power is scheduled to be added to the grid from Sunday as one of its units resumes operation after maintenance. Meanwhile, SS Power and RNPL are expected to restart supply from Tuesday, each contributing about 600 megawatts.

RNPL is a joint venture between the state-owned Rural Power Company Limited and China’s Norinco.

The additional supply comes as Bangladesh continues to struggle with high electricity demand driven by rising temperatures. The Meteorological Department has confirmed that a heatwave is affecting much of the country, with Rajshahi recording 37.8°C and Dhaka reaching 37°C on Saturday.

Energy officials said efforts are underway to import liquefied natural gas, heavy fuel oil, and coal to stabilise supply amid growing demand. However, power rationing remains in place due to the supply-demand gap.

Officials added that priority is being given to keeping Dhaka outside scheduled load-shedding where possible.

According to BPDB data, peak generation on Friday reached 14,196 megawatts, while demand on Saturday climbed to 16,900 megawatts. Demand during the summer season is expected to rise further, potentially reaching between 17,000 and 18,500 megawatts.