Uncertain in Dhaka, Adani Godda plant seeks speedy link to Indian power grid

APJL’s petition for an “expeditious transportation to the Indian grid” done an interim nexus to a person substation successful Banka, 30 km from the Godda plant, was rejected by the Central Transmission Utility of India Ltd (CTUIL), the nationalist transmission readying authority, citing method constraints, according to the minutes of a peculiar consultation gathering connected August 21.

CTUIL advised APJL to research alternate transportation options for treatment astatine a aboriginal meeting.

Incidentally, aft connectivity support was granted, West Bengal’s authorities transmission inferior cautioned CTUIL that connecting the Godda works to the grid could overload captious transmission infrastructure successful the region.

CTUIL acknowledged that parts of the strategy are “already heavy loaded” but maintained that the further strain from Godda would beryllium minimal. It besides confirmed that upgrades to a cardinal high-voltage transmission enactment are already underway to fortify the network.

The Ministry of Power had recommended connectivity for the Godda works connected August 10, 2 days aft Mohammad Yunus was sworn successful arsenic Chief Adviser of Bangladesh, citing “emerging geopolitical tensions successful Bangladesh and outstanding outgo dues,” according to the gathering minutes.

Just 4 days earlier, APJL informed the ministry that allowing the works to proviso powerfulness to India would beryllium “beneficial” erstwhile the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) does not docket powerfulness owed to debased demand, default nether the PPA, oregon geopolitical issues.

A elder authoritative of the interim authorities had told The Indian Express that the PPA volition beryllium reviewed to measure the presumption of the statement and find whether the powerfulness terms is justified.

The Adani Group did not respond erstwhile sought for comment.

On August 12, India’s Ministry of Power amended the Guidelines for Import/Export (Cross Border) of Electricity, allowing home plants exclusively supplying powerfulness to neighbouring countries — presently lone Adani’s Godda works — to merchantability powerfulness wrong India. That aforesaid day, the ministry directed powerfulness regulatory bodies, including CTUIL, to draught a modular operating process for granting connectivity to specified plants.

The connection for connectivity to Adani’s Godda works was discussed and approved by CTUIL during a peculiar consultation gathering connected August 21.

It was decided that the works volition link to Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd’s (PGCIL’s) Lakhisarai substation. To operationalize this connection, APJL needs to conception a 400 kilovolt (kV) dedicated transmission enactment to Lakhisarai and conscionable method requirements astatine some ends.

During the meeting, APJL noted that “implementation of 130-km agelong (line) to Lakhisarai would instrumentality sizeable time, accordingly, for expeditious transportation to Indian grid immoderate interim statement whitethorn besides beryllium supply similar transportation to Banka,” which is overmuch person to the Godda plant.

However, CTUIL highlighted that the Banka substation faced “technical issues,” advising APJL to research alternate options. “M/s APJL was requested to stock details of specified lines. It was decided that aft receipt of inputs from M/s APJL, further studies would beryllium carried retired for interim transportation which could beryllium deliberated successful a abstracted meeting,” the minutes stated.

In July past year, industrialist Gautam Adani met with erstwhile Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina pursuing the full-load commencement of powerfulness proviso from the Godda plant. Ultra Super-Critical Thermal Power Plant (USCTPP) successful Godda, Jharkhand. The plant, which began supplying energy to Bangladesh successful April 2023, is the lone 1 successful India to export its full output to a neighbouring country.

The woody was agreed upon during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s sojourn to Dhaka successful 2015. Activists successful Bangladesh person repeatedly criticised the PPA, arguing that the precocious outgo of importing powerfulness from Godda is not economically viable for the country.

Earlier this month, Adani Power warned Bangladesh’s interim authorities that its $500 cardinal backlog successful unpaid dues for powerfulness from Godda was becoming “unsustainable,” according to a study successful the Financial Times.

Earlier, erstwhile asked astir Dhaka’s proposition for a review, an Adani Power spokesperson had told The Indian Express: “We person nary accusation of the Bangladesh authorities reviewing our PPA. In the tone of existent partnership, we proceed to proviso powerfulness to them contempt the monolithic outstanding owned to us. We are successful changeless engagement with the Bangladesh authorities and person requested them for aboriginal liquidation of our dues arsenic it is making our operations unsustainable.”