State Minister for Power and Energy Nasrul Hamid has requested the public to keep patience for next three days to learn about the actual reason behind the national grid failure that plunged the country into darkness for 11 hours on Saturday.
“I would say to the people, please wait for three days to know about the actual fact of the incident,” he told reporters on Sunday at a press conference at Bidyut Bhaban in the city.The state minister informed that an 8-member inquiry committee headed by an additional secretary of the Power Division has been formed to investigate into the incident and determine the specific reasons.
The committee was given the responsibility to unearth the fact of the incident, he said, adding that until the committee’s report is available, everybody should be patient.
Prime Minister’s Advisor Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, Power Secretary Monwar Islam, PDB chairman Abduhu Ruhillah, and DPDC managing director Nazrul Hasan were present at the press conference.
When his attention was drawn to the media report that the national grid failed following a technical glitch on the Indian side of the cross border Bangladesh -India power transmission line, Nasrul Hamid said there should not be any conclusion on the issue until the committee finds out the fact.
About the incident, the Power secretary said the power supply suddenly collapsed following technical glitch in the country’s western grid at 11:30 am on Saturday that led to a ‘cascade effect’ subsequently shutting down all the power plants in the country.
The state minister said that the power supply situation across the country has already come to the normal position. At present, the country generates about 4,900 MW and there is no load shedding.
He, however, said this incident has brought a new experience for the power sector. “It’s a blessing in disguise for us as it created scope for taking preventive measure for any such future incident.”
The people deserve thanks as they had been quite calm during the blackout period, he added.
Nasrul Hamid suggested keeping alternative power supply backup support and arrangement for all important and emergency installations like airports and hospitals to continue their uninterrupted service.
He said that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was always monitoring the situation giving her valuable directives during the period.
Dr Tawfiq Elahi said the relay system in the power network did not work during the national grid failure that led to the disaster collapsing all the power plants in the country one after another.
He also thanked people for being calm after the incident, saying that 20 years back a similar incident took place in New York that led to frequent robbery and many untoward incidents in that city. But there was no such incident in Bangladesh during the period, he said.
Power Secretary said the media gave out objective report on the issue that helped the power department to restore the power supply across the country. – UNB
