Category: Energy and Power

Afire broke out recently at a Russian nuclear power plant after the country’s military downed a Ukrainian drone, the facility said after the blaze was put out.

The “device detonated” upon impact at the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant in western Russia, sparking a blaze which the facility said “was extinguished by fire crews”.

There were no casualties from the drone smashing down at the site, where capacity was reduced. “The radiation background at the industrial site of the Kursk NPP and the surrounding area has not changed and corresponds to natural levels,” the plant wrote on Telegram.

The International Atomic Energy Agency has repeatedly warned of the dangers of fighting around nuclear plants following Russia’s military offensive on Ukraine in February 2022.

Energy experts at an energy talk in the capital on 23 August urged Bangladesh to phase out fossil fuels and ensure a just transition to renewable energy.

A group of nine green platforms organized the energy talk at the Liberation War Museum. “Renewable energy is cheaper and makes sense to be used for development for its sustainability,” said Khondaker Golam Moazzem,research director, Centre for Policy Dialogue, a non-government think-tank.

Over the years, Bangladesh pursued a flawed economic forecast and energy policy, ending up in overwhelming reliance on fossil fuel use, he said.

The result proved to be devastating, with a massive amount of money spent on paying capacity charges to idle power plants, requiring the payment of huge energy subsidies, he said.

Excessive expenditures, however, failed to reduce the country’s energy crisis, with frequent power outages occurring, affecting life and business, the energy expert said.

The energy talk was attended by over 200 students.

Maitree Super Thermal Power Plant (2×660 MW) at Rampal, Bagerhat, a thermal Power plant of BIFPCL, set a new benchmark by generating 771.70 million units of electricity at a PLF of 78.58% in August 2025.

This is the highest monthly output since its commissioning, contributing 7.62% of Bangladesh’s total generation of 10,100 million units.

For the last three consecutive months, the plant has been consistently generating over 600 million units, totaling 2,036.4 million units. Despite reliance on imported fuel, its scale, efficiency, and consistent performance enable Bangladesh to access stable and comparatively affordable electricity, supporting industries, boosting investor confidence, and reducing the risk of supply disruptions.

Environment Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan said the required financing and technological assistance for adaptation are still far from adequate. ‘As a deltaic and lower riparian country, Bangladesh is among the most climatevulnerable nations.

Our people are showing resilience and courage in the face of repeated disasters, but our capacity is being stretched due to insufficient mitigation efforts and inadequate international support,’ she said.

The Adviser made the remarks while speaking at an event titled ‘ B i o p h i l i a : R e c o n n e c t i n g People, Climate, and Culture’ hosted by the Embassy of Switzerland recently as part of its commitment to action against the climate crisis.

Biophilia showcased how community-led initiatives are best placed to address the impact of climate change on left behind communities, said the Embassy.

The day-long festival was also an opportunity to promote the Swiss-supported Climate Action at Local Level (CALL) program. Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Adviser Muhammad Fouzlul Kabir Khan attended as the chief reciter of the climate oath.

Officials and employees of 80 Palli Bidyut Samities (PBS) across the country have announced an indefinite sit-in protest, demanding withdrawal of dismissal orders and an end to what they described as harassment by the Rural Electrification Board (REB).

The announcement was made at a press conference at the Crime Reporters Association auditorium in Dhaka recently, where Deputy General Manager Mahfuzur Rahman read out a written statement.

Rahman alleged that the REB has failed to fulfil promises on structural reforms and resolution of professional issues.

Instead, the board has continued punitive actions, including dismissals, attachments, and harassment of staff.

On 17, 27, and 28 August alone, 30 officials and employees faced dismissal or disciplinary orders.

Employees also instructed staff to ensure an uninterrupted electricity supply and maintain customer services during the protest.

The country’s falling gas production continues to plague the industries, seriously threatening exports and e m p l o y m e n t generation.

The interim government has hiked LNG imports to address the crisis, but the move is far from being enough.

The industry leaders are calling on the government to take urgent steps to mitigate the crisis, or else.

Even four years ago, the country’s daily gas production ranged between 2,300 and 2,400 million cubic feet. Now, it has fallen to only 1,700 million cubic feet per day on average, impacting vehicle refueling services, power stations, residents and industries.

According to Petrobangla, the daily demand is over 4,200 million cubic feet, but only 2,830 million cubic feet was produced recently.

The crisis is leaving industries with underutilized goods production capacity, which is increasing production cost and trimming export potentials.

Investors are also discouraged by the crisis, leading to reduced business growth and falling employment prospects.

Recently, BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan met Mohammad Saiful Islam, secretary at the Energy and Mineral Resources Division, at the Secretariat.

There he placed five recommendations to alleviate the gas crisis.

The Bangladesh Sustainable and Renewable Energy Association (BSREA) and the Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (CIRDAP) signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) recently at CIRDAP headquarters in Dhaka.

This agreement marks the first-ever partnership between a regional intergovernmental organization and a national renewable energy association to jointly promote rural development through clean energy across Asia and the Pacific.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Mostafa Al Mahmud, President of BSREA, stated, ‘This partnership is both timely and significant.

Together with CIRDAP, we aim to empower farmers, cooperatives, and rural entrepreneurs by replacing diesel irrigation pumps, promoting solar households and villages, and introducing wind turbines in coastal areas.

This MoU will accelerate our shared commitment to sustainable livelihoods and climate resilience.’

Five members of a family, including three children, suffered burn injuries in a fire caused by an explosion of accumulated gas that had leaked from a cylinder at a building in Narayanganj’s Sonargaon upazila recently.

The victims are Manab Chowdhury, 40; his wife Bacha Chowdhury, 38; and their three daughters – Munni, 14, Tinni, 12, and Mouri, 6.

The injured are currently undergoing treatment at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, said Shawon Bin Rahman, a resident surgeon of the institute.

He added that Manab suffered 70 percent burns on his body while his wife had 45 percent burns.

Munni had burns on 28 percent of her body, while Tinni sustained burns on 22 percent and Mouri 36 percent.

The incident occurred in a ground-floor room of the threestorey building at Kanchpur BSCIC industrial area.

Ammonia and methanol are being promoted as low-carbon fuels and hydrogen carriers to support the global energy transition.

They are currently being evaluated as alternatives for clean shipping, power generation, and longdistance hydrogen transport.

However, despite strong interest, their large-scale adoption remains slow due to uncertainty in the demand outlook in a pricesensitive market, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

GlobalData’s Strategic Intelligence report, ‘Ammonia and Methanol in Energy Transition,’ reveals that countries such as Japan, South Korea, China, and members of the European Union are backing low-carbon projects, while companies including Yara, Maersk, CF, and Mitsubishi are exploring large-scale investments to boost their production. Low-carbon ammonia capacity is estimated to grow to nearly 250 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) by 2030, with more than 460 upcoming plants globally. Low-carbon methanol is projected to follow a similar path, with plant numbers approaching 150 by 2030. Yet many projects are in early stages of development, with some hydrogen-linked initiatives already seeing delays or cancellations.

Bangladesh’s renewable energy goals are at risk due to the country’s continued expansion of fossil fuel use, according to a new study by the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD). ‘Without a clear fossil fuel phase-outplan,the countrymay struggle to achieve its clean energy targets, despite setting a 30% renewable energy goal by 2040 under the newly drafted Renewable Energy Policy,’ the report warned. Launched in Dhaka recently, the report titled ‘Revisiting Targets Set for Renewable Energybased Power Generation by 2040: Projection of ‘SMART’ Target and Required Investment,’ highlighted that fossil fuel capacity is projected to exceed actual electricity demand by over 4,000 MW in 2030, creating inefficiencies and reducing space for renewable integration.

By 2040, Bangladesh will need 35,713 MW of renewable power capacity to meet its 30% target, yet current trajectories fall short.

However, CPD warned that fragmented policies and the absence of a fossil fuel exit strategy create uncertainty for both public and private investors.