Agartala, Dec 10, 2024, By Our Correspondent
Bangladesh owes Rs 161 crore to Tripura State Electricity Corporation Limited (TSECL) in unpaid electricity bills, according to Tripura Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath. Despite the mounting dues, the state continues to supply 70-80 MW of power daily to the neighboring country, which is grappling with a severe electricity shortage.
Minister Nath revealed that the matter has been escalated to the Centre. The National Thermal Power Corporation Vidyut Vyapar Nigam (NVVN), the central agency responsible for facilitating the supply and collection of payments, has been asked to urge Bangladesh to clear the dues.
"While TSECL continues supplying power, the outstanding amount has grown to Rs 161 crore. We have approached NVVN, and they are in discussions with Bangladesh to settle the pending payments," Nath informed the media on Tuesday.
Continued Power Supply Despite Dues
Tripura started supplying power to Bangladesh in March 2016 under an agreement that has been renewed twice since then. Initially, 100 MW was supplied daily from the state-owned ONGC Tripura Power Company (OTPC) power plant in Palatana. At times, this supply increased to 160 MW.
A TSECL official mentioned that Bangladesh recently requested an increase in supply to 250 MW to meet its growing electricity demand. Discussions regarding this are ongoing, but the approval of the Central government and the signing of a new agreement are essential for any increase in supply.
Role of the Palatana Power Plant
The OTPC's Palatana power plant, with a 726 MW gas-based generation capacity, is pivotal in meeting the electricity needs of northeast India and Bangladesh. Established in 2013, this joint venture involves the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services Ltd, IDFC Bank, and the Tripura government.
The plant, located 65 km south of Agartala, is the largest gas-based power facility in the northeast. It supplies electricity to Bangladesh and fulfills approximately 35% of the power requirements of seven northeastern states, excluding Sikkim.
The project also symbolizes Indo-Bangladesh cooperation, with Bangladesh facilitating the transport of heavy equipment and turbines through its territory to the Palatana site during its construction phase.
Previous Export Ventures
Tripura also supplied 40 MW of electricity to Nepal in 2020. However, this arrangement was discontinued as Nepal did not seek an extension of the agreement.
Way Forward
The outstanding dues have not deterred Tripura from continuing electricity exports to Bangladesh. The state aims to maintain friendly bilateral relations and support its neighbor during a power crisis. However, resolving the issue of unpaid bills remains a priority for TSECL and the NVVN to sustain the financial health of the power corporation.