Over the years, Bhutan has been exporting 75 percent of the surplus electricity generated in the country to India. To open up more avenues and promote regional energy trade among the SAARC member countries, a two day work shop is underway in the capital.
The Director of Bhutan Power Corporation, Gem Tshering, said the surplus energy generated in Bhutan only goes to India as of now. He added the workshop is a platform to discuss how the SAARC countries can share the energy through cross border interconnections.
“Bangladesh by next September will be connected to India. Bhutan’s power supply will also flow into Bangladesh. Sri Lanka being an island is isolated from India. Now with this program they are looking for a South Asian Regional Grid so that India and Sri Lanka can be connected through submarine,” said Gem Tshering.
The Director General from the Department of Hydropower and Power system, Yeshi Wangdi, said the workshop is relevant and timely. He added Bhutan is anticipating a huge growth of power system and export of electricity to India by 2020.
“The accelerated hydropower development initiative was undertaken since 2008 by our government in cooperation with the Indian government, the objective of which is to add a minimum capacity of 10,000MW by 2020”.
The Director General also said in order to realise this 10,000MW development target, the two countries have identified 10 Mega Hydroelectric projects of which three are under construction. The construction of the rest of the projects is expected to start by 2013. “This would call for construction of numerous cross-border transmission lines and pooling stations both within Bhutan and India for evacuation of surplus power”
The two day workshop for the South Asian countries will present the existing transmission operation practices to ensure reliability, stability and safety in cross border energy trade. The workshop will also address emergency management practices and best practices in cross border communications for electricity trade.
A total of 35 participants from the south Asian countries are taking part.
