Dhaka, July 23 - Advancing the time by an hour has helped Bangladesh reduce power demand by 150 to 200 megawatt (MW) in the evenings, marginally easing the persistent electricity shortage.

Factories have also begun to run past midnight to avoid power cuts.

'This means that the never-ending power shortage has forced large power consumers like the industrial sector to be innovative,' a senior official of the Power Development Board (PDB) was quoted as saying by The Daily Star newspaper Thursday.

Joining several other nations, Bangladesh last month advanced the clock by an hour, utilising more daylight hours.

Schools, offices and other establishments have altered their timings.

A new 700 MW plant will be ready next year. But energy consumption would also rise, the report said.

Although this has enthused planners in the energy-starved nation to talk of an end to load-shedding and power cuts, PDB officials say this could be possible only by 2013, by which time they hope to step up power generation.