Tripura’s power export stalled

Tripura’s Communist chief minister Manik Sarkar says India’s union government is sitting on his plans to export surplus power to Bangladesh.

Bangladesh has helped Tripura’s ambitious 700MW gas-based power project materialize at Palatana , south of state capital Agartala, by allowing passage of the heavy equipment through Chittagong and the river port of Asuganj.

A grateful Tripura government promised to allow Bangladesh access atleast 100MW of power from the project – and more if Delhi allowed.

Manik Sarkar announced his intentions during Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to Agartala in late 2011.

“We want to give Bangladesh 100MW from our share in this project. Delhi can give more from its share of power in this project,” Sarkar told bdnews24.com.

“But the Centre ( India’s union government) has not yet responded to our proposal for reasons best known to it,” Manik Sarkar told bdnews24.com.

He said his government put up this proposal for power export to Bangladesh immediately after Sheikh Hasina’s visit but Delhi has sat on it for more than a year now.

“We really don’t know why they(Delhi) are doing this ! I have tried pushing the issue but without success so far,” Sarkar said.

“Bangladesh is a dear friend and the present government has done much to address our concerns ,” said Sarkar. “ We should also do what we can for Bangladesh.”

Sarkar’s pitching for power exports to Bangladesh is driven by several considerations.

Tripura has substantial reserves of natural gas that can be used to generate power but unless Bangladesh provides passage for the heavy equipment, it is impossible to bring them through the highways of northeast India where several bridges are too weak to take the load.

That is why the Palatana project could not take off until the Hasina government allowed transshipment of heavy equipment through the Chittagong-Asuganj route.

Tripura does not have many industries , so its demand for power is limited and it can earn substantially in foreign currency by selling power to Bangladesh, which is power deficit, atleast for a next 4-5 years.

The Bangladesh demand for power may spur more investment in Tripura’s power sector and attract investments in other gas-based industries which Tripura is looking at .

The tiny northeast Indian state of Tripura goes to polls for its legislative assembly on Feb 14 and the ruling Left Front appears to be well on its way to return to power.

After their defeat in West Bengal and Kerala, Tripura is the only state in India that is run by a Communist-led Left coalition.