Power minister moots SAARC energy
grid
Mar 7, 2007 - McClatchy-Tribune Business
News Formerly Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News
- The Times of India
NEW DELHI -- Power minister Sushilkumar
Shinde on Monday made an effort to energise economic
cooperation among SAARC countries by proposing to
bind them together through a network of transnational
energy lifelines -- from oil and gas pipelines to
interconnecting power transmission lines.
Proposing the concept of an 'Energy
Ring' at the South Asia Energy Dialogue, which will
set the energy agenda for the forthcoming SAARC summit,
Shinde said energy lines would promote trading in
electricity, gas and oil among the member-countries.
He said power production varies in different regions
in different seasons when some areas are surplus.
Interconnectivity will help bridge gaps.
Pointing out that India already has
grid interconnection with Nepal and Bhutan and technical
studies are underway regarding feasibility of grid
interconnections with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, he
appealed that no "unreasonable" restriction may be
imposed on such lifelines that will hinder objective
of providing power to all in the region.
Shinde said the challenge is to meet
the energy demand through safe, clean and convenient
forms of energy at an affordable cost in a technically
efficient, economically viable and environmentally
sustainable manner.
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