India is planning to link its power grid with the UAE and Saudi Arabia through undersea cables, a local media reported.
India’s power ministry has circulated cabinet notes for inter-ministerial consultation to expand access to reliable power and enhance the country’s energy security.
Once approved by the cabinet, bilateral agreements will be signed with Saudi Arabia and the UAE for the mega projects, Raj Kumar Singh, Union minister for power and new and renewable energy, told Mint, India’s financial newspaper.
“The India-UAE agreement is in the final stages,” the minister said. The cabinet note has been circulated for the interconnection agreement, followed by preparing a detailed project report and seeking bids. On the other hand, an interconnection with Saudi Arabia is under review, with the cabinet note being circulated, Singh stated.
Earlier in January, India and the UAE announced plans to conduct a feasibility study for linking their power grids via undersea cables as part of the One Sun, One World, One Grid initiative. Singh was quoted as saying that an interconnection power grid with Saudi Arabia is currently under review.
In March, the Gulf Cooperation Council Interconnection Authority awarded Japan’s Hitachi Energy a contract to upgrade the Al Fadhili high-voltage direct current converter station in Saudi Arabia. After the upgrade, the power station is expected to exchange up to 1,800 MW between the six Gulf states.
GCCIA also awarded five contracts worth $220 million for the construction of infrastructure linking the region’s electricity grid with Iraq.
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