India is considering building a gas-based 6,000 megawatts (MW) power plant in Iran along with a 1,500 kilometres high voltage transmission link to carry power to India, the Hindustan Times newspaper reported on Monday. The project is expected to cost about $10 billion, the report said.
"It is proposed that out of the power generated, 5,000 MW may be transmitted to India and balance 1,000 MW may be transmitted to Pakistan," the news report said, quoting unnamed officials. Power producer NTPC Ltd may be asked to build the project, the report added.
"We have held initial discussions on the project and are now waiting for the power ministry's advise on the matter," the newspaper quoted NTPC chairman R. S. Sharma as saying. Power transmission firm Power Grid is working out the financial and technical details for setting up a project, the paper said. "We have already worked out two alternatives," the paper quoted Power Grid Chairman S K Chaturvedi as saying.
"One is the 1,500 km land route from Iran via Pakistan to Gujarat which will cost up to 200 billion rupees. And the other route is the 1,000 km sub-sea route, avoiding Pakistan. However, the sub-sea route is uneconomical and will cost almost double," Chaturvedi said.
The Power Grid chairman told Reuters his firm had forwarded a proposal on feasibility study to the power ministry last week. "It is (building the power project and transmission lines) feasible. Now a call has to be taken by the ministry. This is a preliminary proposal. If the ministry permits, we are prepared to do it (set up transmission lines)," Chaturvedi told Reuters. No immediate comment was available from NTPC.
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