Although frequent and prolonged power cuts show serious level of load shedding, the figures given by the Power Development Board (PDB) do not suggest anything unusual.

According to the PDB, the load shedding was 331 megawatt yesterday, 349 MW on Saturday and 400 MW on Friday. The PDB put the peak power demand for yesterday at 3,800 MW.

According to the Dhaka Electric Supply Authority (Desa), the capital, which consumes one third of the country's power, had a load shedding of only 90 MW yesterday.

But there was no power in most parts of the city -- from Uttara to Old Dhaka, Jatrabari to Dhanmondi and most other areas.

But this figure, according to PDB power experts, is absolutely misleading. Such figures are manufactured considering political backlashes.

"According to the Power Systems Master Plan (PSMP), the country's present power demand should toggle between 4,500 MW and 5,000 MW. But the PDB's official figures show it around 3,800 MW just to give an impression that the nation is not lagging far behind in power generation," quipped an expert.

The 13 shut down PDB plants have generation capacity of 750 MW. Among these, two units of Karnaphuli hydroelectric plants, each generating 50 MW, will not come back into operation before December and June next year.

The Ashuganj 150 MW and Ashuganj 30 MW will come into operation in October, while generation at the 30 MW plant of Fenchuganj will resume in December.

The Ghorashal sixth unit of 210 MW, three Haripur units totalling 100 MW, Ashuganj 34 MW, Khulna 110 MW, Bheramara 20 MW and Baghabari 71 MW unit resume operation by this month.

"We have failed to add new power projects in pace with the growth of demands," said a PDB official, adding, "This kind of load shedding is the inevitable consequence."

The ruling BNP-led alliance government has so far signed only one power project of 80 MW in Tongi with Chinese company Harbin.

This self-finance simple cycle power plant came into operation one year behind schedule in March this year.

The government signs its second agreement -- again with Harbin -- today to set up a 90 MW combined cycle power plant in Fenchuganj, though the Chinese company lacks the experience to set up such plants.

The Fenchuganj plant will take up to three years to be complete.

Meanwhile, to find alternative power sources, the government has formed a committee with members of the Power Cell of the energy ministry to determine the number of captive power generators in the country.

This two-month old committee is now studying the country's captive power sector and is expected to file a report in another month.

"Since the government gave tax holidays for captive power generators, many industrialists have installed big power generators. We believe they generate up to 800 MW to 1,000 MW," said a source.

"Many of these industrialists are interested in selling a part of their generation and the government is interested in tapping this area," the source added.