Strict monitoring to prevent deception of power and gas users

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Shanchita Shitu
Published : 07:30, Oct 29, 2019 | Updated : 07:30, Oct 29, 2019

Representational image System loss is common in the power sector while the gas sector is experiencing intermittent system losses and gains. One of the main reasons for system loss is corruption while system gain is a strategy to deceive the client.
Distribution companies are losing through system problems while in the gas sector, users are hoodwinked by system gains. Officials say that when power is transported, a little loss is experienced.
Power is brought from grid substation to the distribution substation and then despatched to the transformer from where it goes to the user – at every step, there is some inevitable loss.
Five years ago, many companies sustained more than 10 percent system loss, but some have brought it down to 6 to 7 percent.
If accountability is ensured in distribution, system loss can be brought down. For instance, one distribution company which has bought 5000 units from PDB and while selling makes a bill for 4500 units. The difference is the system loss. On the other hand, making a bill higher than what has been purchased in system gain.
Senior secretary of the power department, Dr Ahmed Kaikaus, said: “We are bringing down system loss every year; without this, the companies cannot get their incentive bonus. Once sub-standard lines are changed, technical loss falls.”
In the gas sector, there is a record of system gain. This means that distribution companies are charging more from users for the gas taken from Petrobangla.
System gain in gas happens in two ways: a resident user is charged for 80 cubic feet of gas but they never use more than 45 cubic feet. For industrial users, distributors reduce the flow of gas they are supposed to supply but PREPARE bills for the normal flow, thus overcharging users.
Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) has made THE establishment of Electric Volume Corrector (EVC) mandatory and once these become fully operational, large scale users will not be hoodwinked.
Energy adviser of Consumer Association of Bangladesh (CAB) Shamsul Alam said: “No effort was ever made to prevent the stealing of gas and to do this, metres need to be modernized and improved. There has to be metering at distribution and supply points.”
In addition, a transparent monitoring system is also essential, he added.

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