The power outages that were previously affecting the country have been largely overcome, and the situation is expected to improve further, said Ministry of Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources Adviser Fauzul Kabir Khan.
"There will not be any significant gas or electricity shortages due to the dollar crisis," he said speaking to journalists on Thursday (19 September).
He provided journalists with an update on the gas reserve situation in the country and addressed rumours concerning the gas discovery in Bhola.
The adviser clarified that the Bhola North gas field contains 2 trillion cubic feet (TCF) of gas, with an additional 2.6 TCF of gas resources that are likely recoverable.
However, reports claiming that Bhola has 5 TCF of gas reserves are entirely incorrect.
"The government has also initiated the drilling of 100 more wells across the country. From now on, no projects will be approved or tenders issued without open competition, and all processes will adhere to the recommendations of an expert committee to ensure transparency and prevent any irregularities," he added.
Addressing the issue of payments to Adani for electricity, the adviser said that the government has sought $1 billion in budget support from the World Bank and an additional $1 billion from the Asian Development Bank (ADB). These funds will be used to settle dues for electricity and gas to alleviate the upcoming crisis.
In response to questions about rental power plants, he noted that since the contracts are still valid, no immediate decision regarding them has been made.
He emphasised that contracts cannot be terminated at will, but a specialised committee is working on the matter and actions will be taken in accordance with their recommendations. Any allegations of corruption will be investigated.
When asked about allegations concerning Gazprom, S. Alam, and Summit, the adviser stated that a newly formed committee will investigate these accusations, and the White Paper Committee is also examining the issue.
