Pakistan to seek connection with Indian power grids for electricity import

The chronic power crisis that threatens to cripple Pakistan’s economy in future has forced the country to look for new venues. India, which remains an adversary to Pakistan, has now emerged as the new source.

At a meeting in Islamabad that was chaired by the Pakistani premier Yousuf Raza Gilani on Tuesday, 01 November, it was decided to ask India to link up power grids of the two countries to start importing electricity from India.

“The proposed grid could contribute towards reducing the power shortage in both the countries in their long term usage provided the modalities are appropriately worked out between the two counties,” the prime minister said.

With the Iran-Pakistan pipeline project already in balance, after Dr Asim Hussain’s statement that the project depended largely on the ‘understanding’ with the international community, linking the country’s grid to India could provide a temporary lifeline
to Pakistan’s energy sector.

Tuesday’s meeting also saw prime minister expressing his deep concerns and dissatisfaction over the inability to implement the strategically important projects that could add 3,945 MW of electricity in the country’s power sector.

The prime minister, while emphasizing the need of hydropower projects said: "Mismanagement must be checked to improve the efficiency of these projects as they are the lifeline of Pakistan’s economy. In view of the escalating cost of thermal power projects,
the only viable way was to start hydropower projects.”

However, with the Pakistani prime minister meeting his counterpart Manmohan Singh this month in the sideline of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) conference, there is a hope that the countries would reach a formal agreement with regards
to establishment of back-to-back electricity grids.

Considering the growing pressure on Pakistan to call off the deal on Iran-Pakistan pipeline, something that Pakistan is trying to resist and ward off, the agreement with India may prove beneficial in the short term.

It is important, however, to point out that India itself is hugely dependent on energy, and exploring new resources to meet its growing demands. Therefore, while going ahead with this ambitious project, Pakistan has to look for dependable supplies of electricity
and gas to the country.

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Posted by Sajjad Hussain on Nov 2 2011. Filed under Latest News, Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry