System loss in gas distribution comes down to 7.5 percent from 22 percent: Nasrul Hamid

System loss in the gas distribution segment has been brought down to 7.5 percent now from a 22 percent two years before, said State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid.

“The reduction in gas distribution segment losses from 22 percent two years ago to 7.5 percent now is a significant achievement. Now our target is to bring the system loss to a zero level in the next two years, " he said while visiting the headquarters of the Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited in the city on Thursday.

Titas has been the largest entity in the gas distribution segment having about 2.8 million retail consumers, out of a total 4.8 million in the country.

The state minister said that in the last two years a total of 865,000 illegal gas connections have been snapped. Of this, 336 are industrial connections, 475 commercial connections, 97 captive power plants, 13 CNG stations.

“A total of 989 kilometers of illegal pipelines have been removed and Tk 604 crore has been fined from the illegal consumers”, he added.

Briefing reporters, Nasrul said the government has been intolerant in taking action against illegal connections.

He, however, admitted that some influential quarters including local lawmakers, public representatives of different levels have been the main impediments.

“But mind it, the minister of the energy and power ministry is the Prime Minister herself and she has strong directives to remain uncompromising in this regard, " he said.

Petrobangla chairman Zanendra Nath Sarker and Titas managing director Engr. Md. Haronur Rashid Mullah were present on the occasion.

Nasrul informed that the Titras Gas Company has initiated a move to implement a Tk 12,000 crore project in the areas under Dhaka and Narayanganj cities to replace the old pipelines to stop gas leakages.

Apart from this, Titas Gas has been negotiating with different donor agencies including Asian Development Bank, World Bank and JBIC of Japan to install pre-paid gas meters to reduce system loss in the gas consumption.

Petrobangla chairman Zanendra Nath  said that all the distribution and transmission companies have installed meters to ensure accountability in gas trading among them.