Bangladesh earthquake 2025 power plants shutdown affected seven facilities nationwide on Friday morning. The 5.5-magnitude quake struck at 10:38am local time. Its epicentre lay in Narsingdi district near Dhaka. Strong tremors caused automatic shutdowns. Power interruptions followed in the capital and surrounding areas. Restoration teams mobilised immediately.
Quake Sparks 7 Power Plants Trip Bangladesh Quake
Bangladesh earthquake 2025 power plants shutdown stemmed from safety protocols. The event measured 5.5 on the Richter scale according to the United States Geological Survey. The Bangladesh Meteorological Department recorded 5.7. Depth stood at 10km. Tremors shook Dhaka and eastern regions. People evacuated buildings in panic.
The seven tripped plants included key gas-fired units. Summit Bibiyana lost 341MW capacity. Bibiyana-3 halted at 400MW. Ashuganj units went offline: one at 225MW, another at 55MW, and a third at 50MW. SS Power’s 600MW plant in Chittagong shed one 75MW unit. Sirajganj’s 225MW facility tripped its 75MW section. Total loss hit over 1,100MW.
A fire erupted at Ghorashal grid substation. It disabled 230kV, 132kV, and 33kV lines. The substation anchors northern transmission. BPDB reported the incidents at 11:50am. Officials noted low midday demand cushioned the blow. No widespread load shedding ensued.
Shamim Hasan, BPDB public relations director, confirmed the cause. “Strong earthquake tremors caused temporary interruptions in generation and supply,” Hasan stated. “Efforts to normalise power production and distribution are ongoing.”
Dhaka Earthquake Power Outage 2025 Grips Capital
Dhaka earthquake power outage 2025 began moments after the jolt. Lights flickered in government offices and homes. Mobile networks dipped briefly. Traffic signals failed at major junctions. Residents rushed outdoors fearing aftershocks. The capital hosts 20 million people. Disruptions lasted 30 to 60 minutes in most spots.
Power returned piecemeal. Backup generators kicked in at hospitals. Allied Hospital in Dhaka switched seamlessly. No critical failures reported there. Factories in nearby Gazipur halted operations. Over 200 garment workers suffered injuries during evacuation stampedes. Locked exits exacerbated the chaos.
The quake claimed five lives. A newborn perished when a wall collapsed in Narayanganj. Two others injured in the same incident. Fifty-five people hurt in Narsingdi near the epicentre. Cracks appeared in buildings across Sylhet and Chittagong. Schools dismissed early. Markets closed amid fear.
BPDB’s grid managed the strain. Reserve margins absorbed the 1,100MW gap. Peak demand hovers at 14,000MW daily. The agency activated contingency plans. Engineers inspected turbines for damage.
BPDB Power Disruption Earthquake Response Underway
BPDB power disruption earthquake unfolded rapidly. Control rooms detected trips at 10:40am. Teams dispatched to sites. Ashuganj crews contained a minor gas leak. Bibiyana engineers reset relays by noon. Ghorashal firefighters doused the blaze within an hour.
A senior BPDB official spoke anonymously. “As of 11:50am, various plants remain offline,” the official said. “More units could potentially trip. Restoring these plants will take time.” The board issued a press release at 12:30pm. It detailed the seven plants and substation. Restoration targeted full capacity by evening.
In a separate statement, BPDB affirmed commitment. “We have been trying to restore electricity as soon as possible,” the release read. Mobile units fanned out to assess lines. Drones scouted remote towers. No major structural damage found yet.
The disruption highlighted grid vulnerabilities. Bangladesh imports 10 per cent of power from India. Cross-border lines held steady. Yet domestic plants dominate supply. Quakes test seismic safeguards. Post-2015 guidelines mandate auto-trips. This event validated them.
Impacts Ripple Through Bangladesh Earthquake 2025 Power Plants Shutdown
Bangladesh earthquake 2025 power plants shutdown affected daily life. Factories idled for hours. Textile mills in Narayanganj lost production. Daily output dips cost BDT 100 million in estimates. Hospitals relied on diesel backups. Fuel stocks sufficed for 48 hours. Transportation snarled. Dhaka Metro paused briefly. Buses navigated dark tunnels. Airports resumed flights after checks. Hazrat Shahjalal International scanned runways. No cracks detected.
Environmental crews monitored sites. Gas leaks posed spill risks. Bibiyana fields vented safely. Air quality held normal. Water tables showed no shifts. Economic fallout mounts. Garment exports total USD 45 billion yearly. Delays hit deadlines. Buyers in Europe seek assurances. Stock markets dipped 2 per cent at open.
Communities rallied. Volunteers distributed water in outage zones. Mosques opened as shelters. Families shared generators. Resilience defined the response.
Safety Protocols in 7 Power Plants Trip Bangladesh Quake
7 power plants trip Bangladesh quake showcased built-in protections. Seismic sensors trigger halts at 0.1g acceleration. Tremors exceeded thresholds. Relays cut fuel lines instantly. This prevented cascading failures. Ghorashal’s fire traced to a transformer spark. Suppressants contained it. No radiation risks as plants run on gas. Ashuganj’s units cooled via emergency vents.
BPDB drills quarterly for quakes. Last exercise in June simulated a 6.0 event. Teams shaved response times by 20 per cent. International experts from Japan advised upgrades. Yet gaps persist. Older plants like Sirajganj date to 2013. Retrofitting costs BDT 5 billion. Funding seeks World Bank aid.
Broader Ramifications for South Asian Energy
The incident matters across South Asia. Bangladesh shares grids with India and Nepal. Stable links averted regional blackouts. Yet it signals seismic threats in the tectonic belt. India felt tremors in Kolkata. Assam reports minor shakes.
Energy security ties economies. Bangladesh’s 25,000MW capacity supports growth. Disruptions curb 7 per cent GDP targets. Neighbours eye joint monitoring. SAARC energy forums convene next month. Investors reassess risks. Adani’s deals with BPDB face scrutiny. Arbitration pauses amid probes. Renewables gain traction. Solar farms resist quakes better.
Challenges in BPDB Power Disruption Earthquake Recovery
Restoration faces hurdles. Remote sites like Bibiyana need helicopter access. Weather clears forecasts. Crews work 12-hour shifts. Fatigue management in place. Public anxiety lingers. Aftershock alerts ping phones. Evacuation drills resume Monday. Mental health lines open. Coordination strains resources. BPDB juggles 50 plants. Priority goes to urban grids. Rural lines lag.
Background
Bangladesh sits on active faults. The 2004 Indian Ocean quake measured 9.1. Local events peak at 6.0. Last major hit in 2015 at 5.8. It damaged bridges. Power sector grew 10 per cent yearly. BPDB oversees 70 per cent generation. Imports fill gaps. Quakes test expansions.
What’s Next
Full grid sync expected by midnight. Inspections continue through weekend. Policy reviews launch Tuesday. Seismic upgrades budget rises. Bangladesh earthquake 2025 power plants shutdown tested resolve. It paves way for resilient infrastructure.
Published in SouthAsianDesk, November 21st, 2025
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