The National Committee on Transmission (NCT), in its latest meeting, has ruled out further deliberations on the proposed changes to the Indo-Bangladesh power link, via Tripura.
There was a proposal to shift the interconnection point of the 400kV double-circuit Comilla (Bangladesh)-Surajmaninagar (Tripura) line from Surajmaninagar substation of Tripura State Electricity Corporation Ltd (TSECL) to the 400/132kV Surajmaninagar ISTS substation. There was also to be addition of two 132kV line bays at Surajmaninagar (ISTS) substation, making the entire transmission line as an ISTS scheme.
The Surajmaninagar (ISTS) substation is part of “NER-II Transmission Ltd”, a TBCB scheme developed by Sterlite Power but now sold to India Grid Trust (IndiGrid).
The proposal to undertake the aforementioned changes was discussed at several meetings of the North Eastern Regional Power Committee (NERPC). The proposal was to be implemented, subject to approvals, after the extant power sale agreement between TSECL and Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) expired in March 2021.
It may be mentioned that TSECL has been supplying 160-mw of power to Bangladesh, through the 400kV double-circuit Comilla (Bangladesh)-Surajmaninagar (TSECL) line under a five-year agreement that expired in March 2021. It may be noted that the said 47-km line, though of 400kV rating, is currently operated at 132kV.
It was recently communicated by Central Electricity Authority (CEA) that the Union power ministry was keen to renew the power sale agreement for a period of another five years. Hence NCT has ruled out further deliberations on the issue.
Rationale of shifting
The idea was to shift the interconnection point from Surajmaninagar substation of TSECL to the Surajmaninagar substation under the ISTS project falling under NER-II Transmission Ltd. The rationale was that the Indo-Bangladesh link then would have become part of the ISTS network, and hence it would enable states to export their surplus power to Bangladesh. It would also have brought the ISTS (Interstate transmission system) scheme under the jurisdiction of North East Region Load Dispatch Centre (NERLDC) and consequently National Load Dispatch Centre (NLDC).
This plan was under discussion since 2019 but to save the interest of Tripura, which was in the midst of the five-year power sale agreement, it was decided to implement the plan after the expiry of the agreement in March 2021.
However, now that the sale agreement is most likely to be renewed, National Committee on Transmission (NCT) has ruled out further deliberations on the issue.
Export to Bangladesh
Apart from the 160 mw that Tripura is exporting via the Surajmaninagar-Comila line, Bangladesh is also importing 1,000 mw through an HVDC link, commissioned in 2013 but subsequently expanded. (Read more)
(Featured photograph for illustration only)
