India proposes power transmission to SAARC countries via Bangladesh

India has said hydroelectric power generated in its north-eastern region could be transmitted via Bangladesh to other SAARC countries.

India’s Power, New and Renewable Energy Minister Piyush Goel floated the idea at the 5th SAARC power ministers’ meeting in New Delhi on Friday.

He said hydroelectric power generated in North East India could be transmitted to Afghanistan via Bangladesh, India and Pakistan or offshore wind projects could be set up in Sri Lanka’s coastal borders to power Pakistan or Nepal.

Goel also called for building SAARC power grid so that excess production of power in one region can easily be used to meet deficit elsewhere.

“Rivers can flow only in one direction, but power can flow in the direction of our choice. I dream of a seamless SAARC power grid within the next few years and this will not only strengthen the economic ties among the SAARC nations but also deepens the people to people relationship,” the minister said.

The power minister further stated that the economic sustainability of SAARC region was pillared on energy security as 30 percent of the region’s energy demands were met through power imports.

He advocated a three-pronged strategy by harnessing conventional and renewable sources of energy, building inter-connected transmissions grids and forging efficacious power trading agreements.

“SAARC is a robust market but constraints are primarily on the supply side as there are pockets where deficits persist,” he said.

Giving details of intra-SAARC linkages established in the recent past, Goyal mentioned about 1450 MW power exchange between India and Bhutan, 500 MW between India and Bangladesh and 150 MW between India and Nepal.

He urged the member states to develop more such interconnections and offered India’s help to enhance production capacity so that member countries become exporters in the region.

“Our government recognises the enormous potential of SAARC nations and we believe SAARC can be regional economic powerhouse,” he said.

Apart from the host country, energy ministers and senior officials from the other SAARC members, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka are attending the meeting.