Coal Overtakes Gas in Bangladesh's Power Generation Mix

Bangladesh's energy landscape is undergoing a significant shift as coal-fired power plants have surpassed gas-based generation for the first time, according to data from the Power Development Board (PDB). This change comes amid declining domestic gas supply and stagnant LNG imports. The country's installed power generation capacity currently stands at 28,494MW, with 43% coming from gas and 27% from coal.

The PDB's summer plan projects up to 5,130MW from gas and 5,700MW from coal during peak hours. However, shortages in gas, coal, and furnace oil mean many plants remain underutilized. Three coal plants are currently under maintenance or facing shortages but are expected to raise output by early May.

Experts say that the country's increasing dependence on imported LNG and coal is a result of years of weak focus on domestic gas exploration, development, and production. Imported LNG is expensive, while coal carries environmental costs despite being relatively cheaper than LNG in some cases.