Govt mulls trading in electricity with India

The government has initiated action for trading in electricity with India by interlinking the two grids, an official said yesterday.

The spokesman for the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), Sulakshana Jayawardane, told the Daily Mirror yesterday that initial discussions were conducted and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) would be assigned to do a feasibility study in this regard.

A steering committee co-chaired by Power and Energy Ministry Secretary Dr. Suren Batagoda and his Indian counterpart Ajay Kumar Bhalla has already been established to execute this programme.

The matter was also discussed at the fourth meeting of the Joint Working Group (JWG) on cooperation in the power sector between India and Sri Lanka on June 24 in New Delhi.

“This is just to set up an interlink with the Indian grid. Otherwise, it should not be interpreted as linking our grid with India’s one. Whenever we have power in excess, we will trade it with India. Likewise, we can purchase power from India when we face any shortage in supply,” he said.

According to him, the interlink will be made between CEB’s Anuradhapura substation and the Madurai substation in India under the proposed project.

Mr. Jayewardene said there was no legal restriction for such cross border power trading.

Asked about the move to purchase power from two barge-mounted power plants operated by a Turkish company, he said the agreement was yet to be signed with the Public Utilities Commission.

Also, he said the CEB awaited treasury determination on the percentage of its shares in this power project.

“Once, these formalities are completed, we can move forward. The Cabinet approval has been given for the power purchasing agreement,” he said. (Kelum Bandara)