India plans to sell 500 megawatts (MW) of electricity to Pakistan, which will help the country reduce its chronic power shortage, according to Calcutta-based newspaper The Telegraph.
Officials of the two countries are scheduled to meet next month to finalise the issues of tariff and grid connectivity.
Electricity trading with Pakistan is part of a larger plan of a South Asian transmission link, which will help countries in the sub-continent harness energy potential of the region.
“A formal understanding has been reached between the two countries on sale of electricity. The finer points are being worked out. The grid connectivity across the border would help Islamabad tide itself over,” a senior Indian power ministry official told the newspaper.
Officials said both sides were considering setting up transmission infrastructure in a joint ownership to wheel around 500MW of electricity via Amritsar. They said as Lahore has complete transmission lines and grids and is near the grid in Punjab, it will be economical to transfer power through Amritsar.
“There is a political will among leaders of the two nations to enhance trade ties and this would work for early solution of issues,” an official said.
South Asian electricity trade is being seen as a major area of cooperation among countries that will bring prosperity to the sub-continent by providing power to deficit parts of the region.
“South Asia is a major hub of fast-growing economies having 25% of the world’s population. There is an ongoing shift in focus from agriculture to manufacturing. No South Asian country can meet its energy needs entirely from within its own domestic resources. We need to integrate the entire region with a robust power grid,” Indian State Minister for Power, KC Venugopal said.
India will need about 250,000MW by 2017, a five-fold increase, to sustain its economic growth. A South Asian grid will give the region 100,000MW of power to trade and help India tap hydropower and natural gas reserves of its neighbours.
The grid model connecting Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland and another linking South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe were being studied. Energy and electricity cooperation are non-traditional areas of trade relationship development, according to a study by the Confederation of Indian Industry.
An integration of electricity grids across South Asia will reduce power costs and enhance manufacturing competitiveness of all members. Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan and India have huge hydroelectric potential, which can be tapped for intra-regional power trade, the study said.
While a transmission link with Bhutan is in place, there are plans to tweak existing line to enable imports up to 5,000MW into India by 2020. Indian firms are working on hydropower projects of 10,000MW in Bhutan and 1,000MW in Nepal to be able to share power from these projects.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 22nd, 2011.
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I do not understand the logic of India selling anything that will assist Pakistan. This will only strenthen self-declared enemy of India plus India would never get paid.
Gentlemen, There is twisted sense in some of the contribiters to this column with regard to power and water. As one or more of the contributers pointed out the rivers originates from India or Indian Kashmir. The Indians have built and are building dams across the rivers that flow through that country. India is not diverting any river for it to flow exclusively through India, like linking them to the Ganga. If they had done so. the whole of the region through which it flows would be flooded every year as is happening in Pakistan. The Indian government is not that stupid to bring disaster to themself. No one is stopping Pakistan from building dams downstream of these rivers once it crosses into Pakistan. The government should have spent the money they have spent on nutering the jedi's and talibans and other terrorists towards dams and power generation for the well being of the common people The person who wrote that by India building dams on its land is stealing water from Pakistan has some of his braincell malfunctioning. For power generation, water must flow from up stream to downstream through the turbines built into the dams to generate electricty. The water does not evoprate for it to disappear into thin air So please think carefully before one makes any statement and ridicule oneself.
@antanu, Just don't project yourself as an Indian, have enough courage to talk like a Paki. When you Pak guys, try to degrade India in your extreme desperation and sheer inferiority complex, you only add more humiliation and disgrace to your own country. There are no 12 hour power cuts in India, except, in a few rural areas of most backward states of India. India produces almost 200,000 megawatts of electricity and consistently adding 20,000 megawatts of electricity annually, which is equalent of Pakistan's entire installed capacity that you could install in your whole life as nation. The most outrageous of all the facts is, Pakistan's power generation capacity is entirely based on petroleum and its sub-products, which only a very, very rich countries like Norway can afford! No wonder Paks face dark nights. Therefore, stop posing as an Indian, the false identity you cannot sustain for long, because every Indian is aware of our situation, which might not be very good but not as bad as you in your pathetic attempt to insult India, vainly trying to project. I can only advise you to grow up and step into adulthood with required humbleness and honesty.
I hope bilateral trade continues; it is good for business and good for peace. I hope this continues.
@Kamran why do u post such laughable comments ?What do you mean by "our water" ? River originates from Himalaya and passes through India . Does India demand transit tax for your river just like you demand transit tax for gap pipeline? Does India demand money for water-sharing data like china does with India ? You should thank to Indian democratic system , because if any ruling party blocks water or diverts water under circumstances like 26/11 , then Indian public or other parties are there to oppose it . For your Kind information , 500 mega watt is not a small amount of energy which can be generated by rivers flowing between the countries .It is all thermal power. china is building a massive dam on India's largest river ,does Indians cry like you cry here ? You should thank to Indian gov and public because India hasn't diverted water after decades long terrorism . If communist country like china had been in place of India , then you wouldn't left with tears to cry . So , be prudent and comment like a wise man .
@antanu: Dude - you need to stop trying to act like you are an Indian - everyone has caught on to your game long back. (Btw there is some other Jack in the same list of comments - pls don't confuse me with that guy). In India there are still major power outages, but not in every state - and 12-hour power shortages do sometimes happen during the summers but not on a continuous basis (a couple of hours at a stretch max) and not every day. In India the problem of electricity theft as well as transmission losses are bigger issues than lack of generating capacity - we will not solve these by keeping our neighbors in the dark. Further, if there is power surplus in Punjab (and if not this move would not be politically feasible with elections around the corner), it makes sense to sell it to Pakistani Punjab to minimize T&D losses, as well as possibly make reasonable profits. But you my friend, need to get a life - acting the disgruntled Indian on web fora is definitely not enough :).
not fair..
@antanu: Have a heart my dear friend, its just 500 MW and I think India would give it for free as a gesture of cooperation and for improvement in ties between the two countries.
First steal our water, then generate electrcity from it and sell them to us thus taking double profits. No offence to my fellow Pakistanis but these Indians are really smart businessmen.
India taking Pakistan water >> producing electricity >> supplying to pakistan >> because of our criminal politicians now Pakistan at the stage where necessities have to import by other countries. by this Democratic autocracy, China’s communism is better.
@R S JOHAR: Yes....but at what cost? We in india are also facing acute power shortage....not getting even 12 hours supply (to more than 50% population)....
This is a good interim solution in the mean time Pak should get busy with bijli creation plans also.. once Pak has done this then the bijli can also go to India as pak has potential to create surplus bijli, but we need to get on with the projects such as hydro, dams, wind, pipelines from Iran and TAPI... the whole region will benefit and this will lead to more integration and more peace - which can only be a good thing!
100,0000 times cheaper then getting a rental power 'ship' from Turkey. But this is only a short term solution. Pakistan must invest heavily in Nuclear power, which is the cheapest and most viable form of Electricity generation. But they need to get rid of the Taliban menace first, and seek infrastructure help which is now turned down due to the bad rep the country has in the world.
south asian grid is needed . But Afghanistan may not enjoy the grid . If India provides ,then T&D losses will be huge and it will be economically not feasible . Since pak can't even fulfil its own requirements , we can't expect pak to supply electricity to afghanistan . Bhutan , Bangladesh and Lanka are getting electricity from India . Nepal can get either from India or china .
This is for Pakistan with love.
Isn't it ironic that India is selling Electricity produced from the rivers given to Pakistan by the IWT(but India can produce Electricity, mind you) and selling it back to Pakistan!
India can use it of course, but obviously Pakistan is willing to give a higher price for it. Whatta plan! ingenious.
@ Jack: I think you are sick. Get some treatment.
@Khurram the Muhajir: Dude, atleast learn to respect those who are ready to help you. Its an extension of hand of friendship from India, grab it while you can.
@Jack: Busying " made in India" electricity is far cheaper than " made in rental power plant" electricity!
@Jack: And you forgot to mention that it is a CIA, RAW and Mossad conspiracy to keep Pakistan undeveloped!!! The people of Pakistan are entirely pro-development!!
Keep on getting expensive power from neighbors rather than producing own ....... and make Pakistan one of the world most expensive country in utilities supply to domestic users ......... way towards more poverty and more corruption ..... The whole idea of Indians is to block all the waters to Pakistan and produce and sell electricity ....... and all the way they are successful in this plan ............. Ironic
India's total generation capacity stands at more than 175000 MW at present. The aim is to raise it to 400,000 MW by 2017. India is adding >20000 MW every year to its grid connected electricity generation. Therefore the above assertion is factually incorrect.
This is the best news. PPP was starving Punjab by diverting power to other areas, especially Karachi. Now at least Punjab's businesses and homes will not suffer in the heat.
Waiting for the Indian comment sailaab