Thursday, 21 September 2023

DEAR SHRI R K SINGHJI - CONGRATS FOR REALIZING PM MODIJI's DREAM

Power Play : Day or Night

Context :

India plans to link power grid with Saudi Arabia, UAE ……………….. 25 April 2023

Extract :

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.

In January, the newspaper reported 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 (OSOWOG) initiative.

My Take :

Dear Shri R K Singhji,

Congratulations on this initiative. Hopefully this interlinking could :

Ø Help our own grid to get additional power during our “ peak demand “ periods

Ø Get power from Saudi Arabia / UAE at very cheap rates , since their cost of generation is very low due to abundant / cheap / local, oil and gas wells

Ø Help us avoid running our 50+ very old, coal-based power plants which are operating at PLF of less than 50

Ø We can avoid Rs Lakhs of crore of investment in numerous new coal-based plants ( - which projects are finding few takers and no bankers )

Ø We can buy power from SA / UAE during day-times ( periods ) when they offer it at the cheapest rates and store it in GRID-SIZE STORAGE Batteries , for use at night

Ø Help us save crores of rupees worth foreign exchange budgeted for import of coal

Ø By avoiding to produce power which uses fossil fuels, we can reduce local warming / air pollution

Ø SA / UAE have managed to set up SOLAR POWER projects which are selling power at Re 1 / Kwh !

Ø By supplying power to DISCOMS at Re 1.5 / Kwh , their accumulated losses could be wiped out

In this context, I am glad that the Ministry has taken cognizance of my suggestions sent through following E-Mails :