Indo-Sri Lanka power transmission on way
SAARC works for renewable energy sources:
Irangika RANGE
The Government is in the process of formation of a High Voltage
Direct Current (HVDC) power transmission line between India and Sri
Lanka to ensure a secure and sustainable energy supply to meet the
energy needs at reasonable prices.
Addressing the inauguration ceremony of the Third Meeting of SAARC
Energy Ministers held in Colombo yesterday, Minister of Power and Energy
W.D.J. Seneviratne said that the necessary ground work has already been
completed to commence a feasibility study in this connection.
The ministerial meeting hosted by Sri Lanka was held with the
participation of all SAARC member States, the SAARC Secretariat and the
SAARC Energy Center.
Meanwhile, Minister W.D.J. Seneviratne was elected as the new
Chairperson of the SAARC Energy Ministers Meeting.
The Minister further stated that the India-Sri Lanka HVDC link will
open doors to SAARC countries to engage in cross border energy trade.
“We are also in the process of evolving a common template on
technical and commercial aspects of the electricity grid
interconnections amongst SAARC member states,” he said.
This move would provide a number of technical and economic benefits
as a result of reduction in investment costs, improving reliability,
pooling resources, diversifying the generation mix and economic exchange
of energy among SAARC member states, he noted.
In addition, we are exploring to establish the SAARC Energy Ring and
studying the options, benefits and constraints of energy trade in the
region. ‘We consider this as a very important and timely requirement as
a country and a region which is heavily dependent on imports for meeting
our energy requirements, he said.
The 15th SAARC Summit held in Colombo in August last year took
several important steps in the Energy sector.
He noted that increased access to energy is critical for fulfilling
the legitimate expectations of growth and development in South Asia.
The escalation of oil prices threatens both energy security in the
region as well as the economic growth witnessed in the region.
The Summit recognized the need to expeditiously develop and conserve
the conventional sources of energy and also build up renewable
alternative energy resources including indigenous hydro power, solar,
wind and bio,” he explained.
They also highlighted that there is tremendous potential for
developing regional and sub-regional energy resources in an integrated
manner and the efforts being made to strengthen regional cooperation in
capacity development, technology transfer and trade in energy.
Directions have been made by them to implements the energy dialogue
through an appropriate work plan while the importance of the development
of the regional hydro potential, grid connectivity and gas pipelines
have been stressed at the Summit.
It is also equally important to educate our people in energy
conservation and energy efficiency, he stressed. This will have a
greater impact on general households, power generation requirements,
industries, transport, building and agriculture. |