The government has planned to reduce system loss by 50 percent by December 2025.
The decision was made during a meeting titled “Identification of System Loss in Distribution and Transmission Sectors,” held today at the Bangladesh Secretariat. The meeting was chaired by Energy Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan.
“We have decided to cut system loss by 50 percent within December 2025,” said Mohammad Saiful Islam, Secretary of the Energy and Mineral Resources Division (EMRD), while speaking to Just Energy News after attending the meeting.
He said that gas transmission and distribution companies will hold meetings every three months to ensure progress on this goal.
According to officials, the ministry has already assigned designated officers and formed a vigilance team to oversee the reduction of system loss.
Measures to Reduce System Loss
On the transmission side, Petrobangla plans to introduce both intake and offtake metering systems.
Additionally, it aims to bring 630,000 currently non-metered consumers under the metering system through Titas, Jalalabad, and Karnaphuli gas distribution companies.
To detect and prevent gas leakage, leak detection technology and the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) will be implemented, using portable gas detectors and laser methane detectors.
Petrobangla also has long-term plans to replace aging pipelines to improve efficiency and safety.
New Industrial Connections After Economic Review
The government also plans to expedite new industrial gas connections based on economic assessments. “Our top priority is to provide gas connections to export-oriented industries,” said an official who attended the meeting.
According to him, distribution companies will follow a “first-come, first-served” approach based on priority. The government had officially suspended new gas connections for industrial units in 2019 and for households in 2015.
He added that new connections will be considered based on reviews of existing supply capacity.