Despite measures taken by utilities under the Power Division, some 1.72 crore consumers still remain without electricity after cyclone Remal hit the country on Sunday.
According to a Power Division press release, a total of 3.03 crore consumers were affected by the storm of which electricity supply was restored to 1.31 crore consumers, while 1.72 crore remained without power.
It said that efforts are on to restore power supply to 80 percent of the customers by morning of Wednesday (May 29) through commissioning all 33 kV and 11 kV lines while 60 percent of them will get power by Tuesday night.
The remaining 20 percent affected consumers will have to wait as their services were stopped and immediate measures will be taken to go to door to door to repair their meters.
The Power Division said that as part of post-cyclone initiatives for remediation of damages by the Remal, Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (BREB) rapidly took measures in its areas under 80 Pally Bidduy Samities (PBSs) while West Zone Power Distribution Company (WZPDC) in its own operational areas through on-site monitoring.
Giving a description of the damages, the Power Division said that a total 766 of 33 kV feeders were damaged of which 455 were recovered and remaining 311 unrecovered while 1105 substations of 33/11 kV were damaged of which 654 recovered and remaining 451 unrecovered.
A total of 6235 of 11 kV feeders were destroyed of which 2384 was recovered and remaining 3851 were not, a total of 3833 electric poles collapsed while 2567 were reapaired and remaining 1266 were not , while 2818 distribution transformer were damaged of which 1696 were restored and remaining 1122 were not.
According to preliminary information, the cyclone Remal caused damages to electricity infrastructures worth Tk 103.33 crore.
More than 30,000 manpower is working in the field, including the BREB's contractors.
The total consumers of the WZPDC is 15.48 lakh of which electricity supply to 14.03 lakh consumers was restored while 1.44 remained unrestored. The WZPDC’s infrastructures worth Tk 5.07 crore were damaged.
Besides, due to the impact of Cyclone Remal, still 30,000 or 45 percent of the mobile towers of four mobile operators remained out of service nationwide till Tuesday night. At the same time, broadband internet connectivity was being affected by power outages.
According to Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), 56 percent of networks across the country had gone down due to Remal and till Tuesday night it was about 45 percent.
The four mobile operators in Bangladesh are Teletalk, Banglalink, Robi and Grameenphone.
According to the latest information provided by the operators, 30,000 mobile network towers were down in the country.
AMTOB Secretary General Mohammad Zulfikar said that more than 30,000 mobile towers in the country are out of action due to the impact of Cyclone Remal. It will take until Wednesday (May 29) for the mobile network to be fully restored.
People of Barguna, Barisal, Patuakhali, Noakhali, Chattogram, Khulna and other districts have been affected more due to lack of mobile service.
