SAARC nations finalize agreement for energy cooperation
Updated: Oct 18, 2014 11:00:56am
New Delhi, Oct 18 (KNN) In a significant achievement of the SAARC ministers’ meeting in the national capital, a South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) framework agreement for energy cooperation, pending since last four years, was finalized.
“The 5th SAARC Energy Ministers Meeting has finalized the SAARC Framework Agreement for Energy Cooperation (Electricity). This is a significant achievement of the Ministers’ meeting, as this Agreement has been pending since 2010 and is a crucial step towards developing a SAARC Market for Electricity (SAME) on a regional basis,” the Ministry of Power said in a release yesterday.
Two days meeting concluded here with the Ministers assurance to get the Framework Agreement approved from their respective Governments so that it could be signed during the forthcoming SAARC Summit scheduled to be held in November, 2014 in Kathmandu, Nepal, the release added.
The meetings were chaired by power, coal, new and renewable energy minister Piyush Goyal who said that discussions over development of a SAARC power grid had also been held, the specifics of which still remained to be worked out.
“No financial figures or technical specifications regarding the grid have been arrived at so far but we will begin work towards this soon. We realise the urgent need for it since economic sustainability of SAARC region is pillared on its energy security. 30 per cent of the region’s energy demands are met through imports and the household per capita consumption of electricity within SAARC is mere 128 units versus global average of 3,045 units,” Goyal said.
Currently, India is importing around 1,500 MW from Bhutan while exporting around 500 MW to Bangladesh and 150 MW to Nepal, in addition to a slew of projects waiting to be constructed or finalised with these countries. A plan to construct an ultra-high voltage underwater HVDC line all the way to Sri Lanka is also in the pipeline. India has also offered to set up a training programme for power professionals in the region. Pakistan, however, was absent from the conference and had not responded to the invitation from the SAARC secretary general.
Further, India proposed to host the Seminar on “Sharing Experiences on Energy Pricing Mechanism in the SAARC Region”. India also proposed to host the Second Meeting of the Expert Group on Technology/Knowledge Sharing (including Energy Efficiency, coal, etc.) in 2015.
Bangladesh will convene the Meeting of Energy Regulators /Bodies in SAARC countries by December 2014.
The Meeting noted that all the four Expert Groups have already finalized their ToR and Work Plans and urged the lead Member States to continue convening of Expert Group meetings regularly, preferably on annual basis.
The Member States apprised the Meeting of the initiatives taken with regard to Renewable Energy projects. The Meeting referred the matter to the Expert group on Renewable Energy for further deliberations.
The meeting approved the 8 reports of earlier meetings of the Working Group on Energy, separate Expert Groups on Electricity, Technology and Knowledge Sharing, Renewable Energy and the reports of the Inter-governmental Meetings on “Study on South Asian Regional Power Exchange”, organized by ADB.
The Indian side presented two Concept Reports namely, “Framework for planning cross-border transmission links and associated system strengthening through joint system studies” and “Operation of stable and secure SAARC Electricity grids”.
Bangladesh has also prepared the Concept Paper on “Structures, functions and institutional mechanisms for SAARC regulatory issues on electricity exchange/trade” and the same would be circulated among Member States, shortly. Member States will offer their views/comments on the Concept Papers by 31 December 2014.
The next meeting of the SAARC Energy Ministers’ will be held in Nepal. (KNN/SD)
“The 5th SAARC Energy Ministers Meeting has finalized the SAARC Framework Agreement for Energy Cooperation (Electricity). This is a significant achievement of the Ministers’ meeting, as this Agreement has been pending since 2010 and is a crucial step towards developing a SAARC Market for Electricity (SAME) on a regional basis,” the Ministry of Power said in a release yesterday.
Two days meeting concluded here with the Ministers assurance to get the Framework Agreement approved from their respective Governments so that it could be signed during the forthcoming SAARC Summit scheduled to be held in November, 2014 in Kathmandu, Nepal, the release added.
The meetings were chaired by power, coal, new and renewable energy minister Piyush Goyal who said that discussions over development of a SAARC power grid had also been held, the specifics of which still remained to be worked out.
“No financial figures or technical specifications regarding the grid have been arrived at so far but we will begin work towards this soon. We realise the urgent need for it since economic sustainability of SAARC region is pillared on its energy security. 30 per cent of the region’s energy demands are met through imports and the household per capita consumption of electricity within SAARC is mere 128 units versus global average of 3,045 units,” Goyal said.
Currently, India is importing around 1,500 MW from Bhutan while exporting around 500 MW to Bangladesh and 150 MW to Nepal, in addition to a slew of projects waiting to be constructed or finalised with these countries. A plan to construct an ultra-high voltage underwater HVDC line all the way to Sri Lanka is also in the pipeline. India has also offered to set up a training programme for power professionals in the region. Pakistan, however, was absent from the conference and had not responded to the invitation from the SAARC secretary general.
Further, India proposed to host the Seminar on “Sharing Experiences on Energy Pricing Mechanism in the SAARC Region”. India also proposed to host the Second Meeting of the Expert Group on Technology/Knowledge Sharing (including Energy Efficiency, coal, etc.) in 2015.
Bangladesh will convene the Meeting of Energy Regulators /Bodies in SAARC countries by December 2014.
The Meeting noted that all the four Expert Groups have already finalized their ToR and Work Plans and urged the lead Member States to continue convening of Expert Group meetings regularly, preferably on annual basis.
The Member States apprised the Meeting of the initiatives taken with regard to Renewable Energy projects. The Meeting referred the matter to the Expert group on Renewable Energy for further deliberations.
The meeting approved the 8 reports of earlier meetings of the Working Group on Energy, separate Expert Groups on Electricity, Technology and Knowledge Sharing, Renewable Energy and the reports of the Inter-governmental Meetings on “Study on South Asian Regional Power Exchange”, organized by ADB.
The Indian side presented two Concept Reports namely, “Framework for planning cross-border transmission links and associated system strengthening through joint system studies” and “Operation of stable and secure SAARC Electricity grids”.
Bangladesh has also prepared the Concept Paper on “Structures, functions and institutional mechanisms for SAARC regulatory issues on electricity exchange/trade” and the same would be circulated among Member States, shortly. Member States will offer their views/comments on the Concept Papers by 31 December 2014.
The next meeting of the SAARC Energy Ministers’ will be held in Nepal. (KNN/SD)
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