Agartala, Jan 16 (NationPress) Following Tripura's lead, the government of Assam is also eager to export its excess electricity to Bangladesh, according to Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha, referencing his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma.

During a two-day visit to Tripura, Chief Minister Sarma dined with CM Saha on Thursday night, where they addressed a range of topics relevant to both states.

“In our talks, Sarma showed interest in supplying surplus electricity from Assam to Bangladesh via Tripura. Since 2016, Tripura has been exporting electricity to Bangladesh, with the current Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) set to expire in March. We are considering extending this agreement,” CM Saha informed the press.

He added that discussions also included plans to expand the National Highway linking Tripura and Assam.

“I recently visited Churaibari in northern Tripura near the Assam border and witnessed how the narrow National Highway creates significant challenges for the transport of goods, buses, and other vehicles,” he stated.

Churaibari, located about 170 km from Agartala, serves as the primary access point to Tripura and experiences heavy daily traffic, accommodating thousands of vehicles.

Currently, Tripura, which has an 856-km border with Bangladesh, is supplying more than 100 MW of electricity to its neighboring nation.

Since March 2016, electricity supply began from the ONGC Tripura Power Company (OTPC) plant in Gomati district, with supply rates occasionally reaching 160 MW, as noted by an official from the Tripura State Electricity Corporation Limited (TSECL).

“After our initial agreement in 2016, we have renewed it twice to maintain the electricity supply to Bangladesh,” the official mentioned.

The Bangladeshi government has recently approached TSECL requesting a supply of at least 250 MW to meet their escalating power needs.

The final decision regarding this new proposal from Bangladesh remains pending, the official added.

Moreover, Tripura Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath expressed the state's interest in exporting power to Nepal as well. He mentioned plans to export power to Nepal and noted a meeting held in New Delhi, as the central government will ultimately decide on the matter.

Although Tripura does not share a border with Nepal, the Himalayan country has a 1,751-km border with five Indian states, including Sikkim, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.

Minister Nath also stated that due to declining natural gas availability, TSECL is implementing new technologies to boost power generation efficiency.

“With the assistance of the World Bank, an investment of Rs 935 crore is aimed at doubling power generation using the same gas volume through combined-cycle gas turbine technology in Rokhia, Sepahijala district.

“Additionally, we are planning to establish an 800 MW pumped storage power project at Chawmanu in Dhalai district, with the Detailed Project Report currently in progress,” he added.

The minister concluded by announcing the setup of a 400 kV substation at Suryamani Nagar as Tripura continues its electricity supply to Bangladesh.