Power-starved Bangladesh bans evening use of ACs
By IANSWednesday, March 31, 2010
DHAKA - Bangladesh has banned use of air coolers and air conditioners during evening peak hours in all establishments, except hospitals and hotels, across the country to tackle the ongoing power crisis.
The government took the step Tuesday amidst reports that power cuts in major hospitals, including the Dhaka Medical college Hospital, had caused disruption in surgery procedures.
ACs in all residential buildings, government and private organisations, business organisations, markets and shops would have to be turned off between 6.00 p.m. and 11.00 p.m. Hospitals, hotels and restaurants have been exempted, Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) chairman Syed Yusuf Hossain announced Tuesday.
The commission also asked AC users not to set temperature below 25 degree Celsius during off-peak hours to minimise electricity consumption.
Violators could be punished with power cuts. But authorities are unsure of enforcing a nationwide ban as they do not have adequate staff.
Yusuf said around 200 MW to 500 MW of electricity would be saved if the ACs remained shut during evening hours, the New Age newspaper reported.
When asked what steps would be taken if ACs were not shut during evening peak hours, BERC member Selim Mahmud said the commission had the right to punish anyone if he or she disobeys the order.
\”BERC can impose administrative fine of Tk 2,000 or sentence anyone to three months in jail,\” he said.
Most parts of the country are going through 16-18 hours of power cuts while city dwellers are facing around 10-12 hours of load shedding as the Power Development Board (PDB) can generate only around 3,800 MW of electricity against a total demand of 5,500-6000 MW.
Bangladesh is looking to import power from India and Bhutan, the report said.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina signed a deal for power import during her visit to India in January.
Power shortage has become a political issue with the opposition including it on its agenda for agitation.
Former prime minister and opposition leader Khaleda Zia termed it as \”government propaganda\” that nothing was done to augment power during her rule in 2001-06.
Zia claimed that power generation of 1,500 MW had been added during her
