Photo Courtesy: nenews
Agartala: Tripura pocketed over 1,165 crore by exporting electricity to Bangladesh over the last ten years. Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath confirmed the earnings on Wednesday. Tripura State Electricity Corporation Limited (TSECL) began the trade in March 2016. Revenue has reached 1,165.37 crore to date.
Initial rates sat at 5.50 rupees per unit. The price tag hit 6.76 rupees per unit today. Exports started at 100 megawatts from the ONGC Tripura Power Company plant at Palatana. Capacity grew steadily. TSECL delivered 200 megawatts on August 9.
Bangladesh now wants 250 megawatts. The country faces shortages. Growth is not immediate. “Discussions are going on. However, to increase the supply of electricity, permission and clearances from the Central government are vital,” Nath said.
New deals require federal approval. Tripura expects more capacity soon. Solar projects are coming. The 726-megawatt Palatana plant is key. It sits 65 kilometers south of Agartala. The facility is a joint venture between ONGC, Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services Ltd, IDFC Bank, and the state government.
It cost 10,000 crore to build. The plant serves 35 percent of electricity needs across seven Northeastern states. It also fuels regional ties. Bangladesh once helped move heavy turbines through its territory to the site. Tripura briefly exported 40 megawatts to Nepal in 2020. That deal stopped when Nepal let its approval lapse.
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