Uninterrupted gas supply at least two years away

People of Bangladesh, who are experiencing the lowest gas supply since April 2020, will have to wait at least two more years to get uninterrupted supply.

State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid today said that they were working toward ensuring it from 2026.

Nasrul, who was yesterday reappointed as state minister for the third consecutive term, said this at a briefing at the secretariat.

He said one floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) has been under maintenance since last November which brought a burden for the gas subscribers.

"The FSRU is ready now and will start supplying gas within a day or two. But the second one will go for maintenance now. That will be done by the first week of March," he said.

Both the units can be re-gasified, which will supply around 850 million cubic feet of gas a day.

One is supplying around 500 mmcfd now.

According to Petrobangla data, the country's gas demand is 3,800 mmcfd and the current supply is 2,550 mmcfd.

"We are making a plan to supply uninterrupted electricity in the upcoming Ramadan and Boro season. But we need uninterrupted energy supply first. We talked to the new finance minister, will meet him next week in this regard," he said.

He hoped to get adequate allocation on this purpose.

"We had to pay additional $13 billion for the increased gas and fuel prices. There are tensions in the middle east now. We don't know what will be the situation. But we are getting prepared," he added.

Dynamic prices for fuel will be implemented from April, he said.

"The local gas exploration will be our main priority. We are expecting to add 500 mmcfd gas from local sources by 2025."