Sun Nov 03 14:25:01 UTC 2024: ## Bangladesh Faces Power Crisis as Adani Cuts Electricity Supply Amid Unpaid Bills
**Dhaka, Bangladesh:** Bangladesh is facing a severe power shortage as the Adani Group, an Indian conglomerate, has cut cross-border electricity supply to the country by half due to outstanding payments of around $850 million.
The Adani’s Godda power plant in Jharkhand, India, which usually provides 7-10% of Bangladesh’s baseload power demand, has reduced its output to 724 megawatts from its installed capacity of 1,496 MW. This has resulted in load shedding of around 1,680 MW in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh’s Power Development Board (BPDB) chairman, Rezaul Karim, stated they are trying to compensate for the shortfall by running other power plants. “We are discussing the issue with them (Adani), and informed them that it is not possible to make the total payment in a single month,” said Karim. “But we are trying to increase the payment size gradually.”
The situation has been exacerbated by the ongoing political crisis in Bangladesh, making it difficult for the country to secure the necessary dollars for payments. The new leadership is grappling with the fallout from a student-led revolution in August that led to the ousting of the former leader, Sheikh Hasina.
While Bangladesh has been making efforts to settle the bills, paying $97 million to Adani in October, the amount remains significantly lower than the outstanding balance.
The power shortage is expected to worsen as Bangladesh enters a cooler period, typically leading to a lower demand for electricity. With the ongoing political turmoil and financial challenges, the country is facing a difficult time in finding a sustainable solution to this crisis.
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