Sources in the Gas Transmission Company Ltd. (GTCL) said gas pressure has fallen in Dhaka and if the high demand persists, some of the gas-run power and fertiliser plants might have to be shut down.

On the other hand, the power supply has been hit as the 450 MW Meghnaghat power plant remained inoperative for the last three days.

To cover up the supply shortfall, the Power Development Board (PDB) has increased power generation at the power plants in Raozan and Ghorashal. However, these older power plants consume more gas to produce 450 MW power than the modern Meghnaghat plant does.

While the Meghnaghat plant consumes 57 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) gas, the older plants consume an additional 30 to 35 mmcfd-- putting extra pressure on the saturated gas supply system.

Sources said over the last three to four days, gas demand has shot up to over 1,270 mmcfd against a maximum supply of 1,218 mmcfd. The additional demand is met by drawing gas accumulated or stored in the pipelines. The gas transmission pipelines naturally store some gas.

"Right now, due to some technical difficulties, the Kafco fertiliser factory is consuming 37 mmcfd gas instead of the usual 62 mmcfd. So if Kafco resumes full operation tomorrow, the demand would shoot up to 1,295 mmcd," said a source. "The only thing we can hope to happen now is that the Meghnaghat plant resumes operation soon and thus reduce the gas requirement of the power sector," he added.

For a long time, Petrobangla had been forecasting the current gas crisis. Experts said without the two new pipelines in Ashuganj-Monohardi point and Bakhrabad- Meghnaghat point, gas crisis would be unavoidable this summer.

"Sadly, the only gas pipeline project that is being pursued enthusiastically is in Bogra, where the gas market is nil. This is politically motivated," said a source. The demand for gas shot up to 1,250 mmcfd early last month from last year's 1,130 mmcfd.

But so far only stopgap arrangements have been made to address the problem.