Coal news and updates

Govt planning to build SAARC power grid

October 17: Piyush Goyal, the Union Minister of State for Power, Coal, New and Renewable Energy, has called for building a SAARC power grid so that excess production of power in one region can easily be used to meet the deficit elsewhere, a government release said.

Goyal said this while addressing the inaugural session of the 5th meeting of the SAARC Energy Ministers in New Delhi on October 17, the release said.

“Rivers can flow only in one direction, but power can flow in the direction of our choice! I dream of a seamless SAARC power grid within the next few years,” Goyal said.

With an aim to strengthening economic ties among the SAARC nations and to deepen the people-to-people relationship, Goyal further added: “Hydro-electric power generated in north east India could be transported via Bangladesh, India and Pakistan, on to Afghanistan or offshore wind projects could be set up in Sri Lanka’s coastal borders to power Pakistan or Nepal. The possibilities are limitless!”