India becomes net exporter of power for the first time: Govt

New Delhi: India has become a net exporter of electricity for the first time from net importer, the Power Ministry said. During the current year 2016-17 (April to February 2017), India has exported around 5,798 million units to Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar which is 213 million units more than the import of around 5,585 million units from Bhutan.

Export to Nepal and Bangladesh increased 2.5 and 2.8 times respectively in last three years. Ever since the cross border trade of electricity started in mid-Eighties, India have been importing power from Bhutan and marginally exporting to Nepal in radial mode at 33 kV and 132 kV from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. On an average Bhutan has been supplying around 5,000-5,500 million units to India, the power ministry said in a statement.

 India had also been exporting around 190 MW power to Nepal over 12 cross border interconnections at 11kV, 33kV and 132 kV level. The export of power to Nepal further increased by around 145 MW with the commissioning of Muzaffarpur (India)– Dhalkhebar(Nepal) 400kV line (being operated at 132 kV) in 2016. Export of power to Bangladesh got further boost with commissioning of 1st cross border Interconnection between Baharampur in India and Bheramara in Bangladesh at 400kV in September 2013.

It was further augmented by commissioning of 2nd cross border Interconnection between Surjyamaninagar (Tripura) in India and South Comilla in Bangladesh. At present around 600 MW power is being exported to Bangladesh. A few more cross border links with neighbouring countries are also in pipe line which would further increase export of Power. (UNI)