The electricity misuse in terms of system loss seems have no ending as the dishonest officers and employees are involved in electricity theft day after day. The incidents of electricity theft are being misrepresented as system loss and none seemed to be accountable for this mishap. Rather, the loss incurred by theft is being put on the shoulders of the customers illegally. Besides, fake bills, bribe and corruption are going on alarmingly. The loss incurred in this way was covered by charging excess price of electricity. A few electricity distribution centers had been formed in the capital; However, the system loss hasn’t been stopped.
In order to manage electricity distribution, Dhaka Electricity Supply Authority (DESA) was originated from Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB), which was terminated later due to huge allegations of irregularities. The government formed Dhaka Electric Supply Company (DESCO) and Dhaka Power Distribution Company Limited (DPDC) to solve the problem. However, the customers are not satisfied over the service of these two organizations. They’re facing harassment and have to pay bribe in many cases.
According to the power experts, the estimation of system loss was shown by the government is less than its actual situation, but the loss hasn’t been reduced in real terms. According to the information of power division, due to system loss, the power sector is facing the loss of Tk 3,000 crore each year. The electricity division officials said in 2010-11, the total system loss in electricity sector was 14.73% on an average per year, which was reduced to 11.11 % in 2020-21, but it’s not the reflection of actual situation.
The reporter of The Bangladesh Pratidin made a field visit on Wednesday. According to his information, in more than fifty shops illegally cropped up including shops of vegetables, fish and foods, bedding materials, salvage shops, motor garage, restaurants, lights, fans and other electrical equipment are being used. The shop owners said the electricity office employees provided them the facility to use the service.
After the independence, the state owned PDB generated electricity directly. It became dependent on private sector in producing electricity after 90s. Then, to reduce system loss and distribute electricity in Dhaka, government established DESA in 1991, but it has been terminated in 2008 due to irregularities and huge loss. After that, a new organization was formed as DESCO with a part of DESA in 1998. And, without solving the huge loan of DESA, government formed DPDC in 2008. At present, in Dhaka, DESA and DPDC, both are active in power distribution. Albeit the system loss isn’t decreasing, rather irregularities and corruption are increasing in the two agencies. Complaints of not releasing files on due time and taking bribes have been raised against some officers of DESCO and DPDC.
According to the information, the total length of footpath in Dhaka North and South city corporations is 163 km. In 3 lac shops located at the footpaths, there’re 5 lac illegally-connected lights. If Tk 30 of electricity is spent over each light, then the total amount of money illegally spent is around Tk 1.5 crore. That means the total amount of loss amounts to Tk 540 crore in a year. The money generated from these illegal connections go to the pocket of dishonest officers and employees of organizations who are in charge of electricity distribution. However, the authorities concerned haven’t the right estimation of this illegal connection.
According to the sources, a total of 30 MW of electricity is theft from DPDC. DPDC’s system loss was 7% and it was 5.58% for DESCO.1 % of system loss in electricity costs Tk 700 crore. Hence, the system loss incurred here is far greater than the internationally accepted standard.
The amount of electricity used in battery-run rickshaws, auto rickshaws and three-wheelers is almost double than the electricity used illegally in shops in footpaths. The authorities concerned admit that most of the battery-charge stations have been cropped up illegally.
The system loss reduced slightly due to initiatives like constructing substations, setting up transformers, modernizing the electricity distribution system, controlling illegal connection and theft, introducing online meter reading system, setting up pre-paid meters. However, that couldn’t fulfill the target. Due to the increase in illegal connection, the electricity transforming lines are getting damaged.
Fuel expert professor M Shamsul Alam told The Bangladesh Pratidin, “The government time to time shows the reduced amount of system loss, however that isn’t minimized actually. The mismanagement in payment of electric bills and reading meters are paving the ways for maladjustment in the name of system loss. Even, the ministry tried to show lesser amount of system loss and we’re not getting the right picture of the loss.”
He urged for strict and combined system for reducing the loss and mismanagement.
@The report was published on print and online versions of The Bangladesh Pratidin on February 2 and rewritten in English by Lutful Hoque
