Netrokona Power Official Requests Protection as Load Shedding Reaches 79 Per Cent

A severe power deficit across Netrokona district has triggered acute load shedding ranging between 72 and 79 per cent, prompting local rural electrification authorities to formally request administrative protection over fears of public unrest and attacks on utility installations.

Netrokona Palli Bidyut Samiti issued a formal letter to the District Commissioner seeking heightened security across its infrastructure. Deputy Commissioner Khandakar Mushfiqur Rahman confirmed receipt of the correspondence on Tuesday afternoon, 11 August, stating that he had contacted senior power sector officials to address the supply shortfall while directing local police to step up security at electricity substations.

The letter, dispatched on Monday by Md Akram Hossain, Officiating General Manager of Netrokona Palli Bidyut Samiti, detailed a drastic gap between power demand and actual allocation from the national grid.

Grid Deficit and Generation Capacity Bottlenecks

The Netrokona 132/33 kV grid substation supplies electricity through nine 33 kV feeders to twelve upazilas—ten in Netrokona and two in neighbouring Sunamganj district (Dharmapasha and Modhyanagar). The collective peak demand across these service areas stands at 157 megawatts (MW).

Supply data provided by the utility over recent days illustrates a worsening gap between consumer demand and actual power generation:

• 7 August (1:00 am): Demand reached 110 MW, but allocation stood at just 55 MW.

• 8 August (5:00 pm): Demand hit 120 MW against an available supply of 63 MW.

• 9 August (11:00 pm): Demand climbed to 126 MW, while supply dropped to 60 MW.

The utility explained that when long-disabled 11 kV feeders are finally restored, household appliances—including refrigerators, water pumps, and battery-backed IPS units—power up simultaneously. This surge causes localized electricity demand to jump 1.5 times above normal operating levels, forcing load shedding to reach historic levels of up to 79 per cent.

Palli Bidyut officials attributed the deficit in the Mymensingh region to reduced generation output across several key facilities, specifically citing the BR Powergen 160 MW plant in Boromi (Gazipur), the Ashuganj Power Plant, and the RPCL Mymensingh Power Station. According to the utility, restoring full capacity at the 160 MW Boromi plant alone would stabilize supply to the Netrokona grid and bring load shedding down to manageable levels.

Consumer Backlash and Public Distress

The prolonged power outages have ignited public anger. The utility’s letter warned that staff members are facing relentless verbal abuse over the phone, along with explicit threats of office blockades and vandalism. Officers collecting outstanding electricity bills have reportedly encountered ambush attacks and physical assaults.

The power crisis is severely affecting daily life across the district. Sujon Miah, a farmer from Gobindashri village in Modan Upazila, lamented that residents receive barely four to five hours of power per day, leaving children unable to study and families deprived of sleep during intense heatwaves. Abdul Goni from Mogulhatta village in Atpara Upazila shared a similar sentiment, noting that electricity arrives in brief 10-to-20-minute bursts, accompanied by severe low voltage that prevents appliances from running.

Officiating General Manager Md Akram Hossain stated that field teams are working tirelessly to restore balance to the local distribution network. Meanwhile, District Commissioner Khandakar Mushfiqur Rahman confirmed that he briefed the Divisional Commissioner during a recent visit to Netrokona, expressing confidence that law enforcement measures and regional power reallocations will soon ease the crisis.