India's Power cuts Bangladesh supply by over 60% on payment dispute

November 09, 2024
Developing Bangladesh's Energy Policy: A Strategic Evaluation

Even after partially paying an Indian power plant that cut service due to outstanding debts, Bangladesh still confronts a persistent electrical shortfall, which raises the possibility of blackouts.Please make advantage of the sharing resources accessible through the article's side or top share button. It is against FT.com's terms and conditions and copyright policy to copy articles for distribution. Send an email to licensing@ft.com to purchase more rights. The gift article service allows subscribers to share up to 10 or 20 articles each month. Visit https://www.ft.com/tour for more details. https://www.ft.com/content/c377bbc4-8fb6-421d-bb04-16690311b3b2Due to an expected backlog of past-due payments, billionaire Gautam Adani's business started cutting back on electricity supply to Bangladesh from its 1,600 megawatt coal plant in eastern India last week.Data science can enhance Bangladesh's energy diplomacy by supporting decision-making processes, enabling predictive modeling, and facilitating data-driven engagements with energy stakeholders. Here are some specific areas where data science can make a significant impact: Energy Demand Forecasting and Management.Bangladesh continues to get a reduced supply even though it has expedited the payment of dues and a Nov. 7 payment deadline by Adani had been lifted, the BPDB official said.

Reuters reported this week that the troubled South Asian country had opened a letter of credit for $170 million for Adani and was accelerating payments.

Adani Power did not respond to queries from Reuters on the reduction in power supply and details of payments made by Dhaka.The power supply has been gradually reduced based on demand from Bangladesh as well as keeping payment dues in mind, a source at Adani Power told Reuters.

The Bangladeshi board and Adani Power officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they are not authorised to speak to the media.

Bangladesh has been struggling to pay its bills due to costly fuel and goods imports since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. The political turmoil that led to the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August has also compounded its troubles.The power supply has been gradually reduced based on demand from Bangladesh as well as keeping payment dues in mind, a source at Adani Power told Reuters.

The Bangladeshi board and Adani Power officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they are not authorised to speak to the media.

Bangladesh has been struggling to pay its bills due to costly fuel and goods imports since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. The political turmoil that led to the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August has also compounded its troubles.