Adani power plant technical fault increases load shedding in Bangladesh

A technical fault at the Adani coal-fired power plant in Jharkhand, India, has caused a significant reduction in electricity supply to Bangladesh, leading to increased load shedding across the country.

The plant, which has a total capacity of 1,600 MW divided into two 800 MW units, saw its output drop sharply on the night of September 10. Following a period of recovering production after previous coal supply disruptions caused by storms, a boiler issue forced one unit to shut down. Electricity supply from the plant fell from over 1,430 MW to approximately 691–750 MW.

Officials from the Power Development Board (PDB) and Power Grid Bangladesh PLC noted that the boiler may require up to 48 hours to cool down before repairs can begin, meaning full production levels may not return for several days. This incident exacerbates existing energy challenges in Bangladesh, including a severe gas shortage that has reduced gas-based power generation by approximately 1,500 MW, as well as technical issues and coal shortages at other domestic plants like Payra and Rampal.