Sylhet, July 27 (V7N) – Sylhet city has been experiencing prolonged power outages for over two weeks, leaving residents in darkness for hours each day. The 25-megawatt power station under the Kumargaon 132/33 kV grid substation has been shut down for 10 consecutive days, causing widespread load shedding throughout the city.

According to sources from the Power Development Board (PDB), the shutdown is due to a transformer burning out at the power station. Since the required parts must be imported, there is no confirmed timeline for repairs and restoration of power supply.

Abdul Qadir, Chief Engineer of the Sylhet region under PDB, stated, “Sylhet lacks its own power generation capacity and is fully dependent on the national grid. Additionally, low voltage issues have compounded the situation. There are various opinions regarding the power station’s shutdown—some say it’s due to mechanical failure, others say it is for maintenance.” An unnamed engineer confirmed that there is no major mechanical fault and that the station is primarily closed for maintenance purposes.

Meanwhile, five electricity departments in Sylhet metropolitan area have reported 13 substations under excessive load. The increased demand due to rising temperatures has led to frequent fuse blows, wire breakages, and voltage drops.

Data from PDB officials indicates a 33 percent power deficit in the Sylhet region as of last Thursday. Shams-e-Arefin, Executive Engineer of Sylhet Distribution Division-2, remarked, “We have no control over the power supply. Interruptions from Dhaka happen anytime, causing frequency drops in the entire system. Decisions made in Dhaka have a severe impact on Sylhet’s power reality.”

Authorities warn that if the electricity situation does not improve soon, the crisis will worsen. Meanwhile, frustrated consumers have taken to social media to express dissatisfaction. There have also been reports of abusive calls directed at power officials from angry residents.

The power outage continues to severely affect daily life and economic activities across Sylhet as officials race to restore normalcy.

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