In sign of increasing commercial relationship, the newly-formed Nawaz Sharif government in Pakistan, which is facing acute power shortage, has sought as much as 500 mw electricity from New Delhi by laying a transmission line from Punjab into Lahore.

 

Significantly, New Delhi is only willing to help and is exploring the points which can be used to hook-up to the grid in Pakistan through a high-voltage line. The proposal to buy power was made when an expert group visited Pakistan this week to discuss energy cooperation. The transmission line may not take very long to build and power could start flowing in matter of months. However, details and modalities of the purchase and the techno-commercial as well as sovereign arrangements that would be needed are still to be worked out.

 

The power-starved Pakistan is ready to explore all options for sourcing power from India. Observers say that Pakistan cannot but buy power from India due to the acute shortage its faces as also easy to implement. It could be from any source either a private or a public sector power generation plant. Pakistan wants 500 mw from India but will have to put in place a transmission network. At the same time India on its part will have to construct a transmission network too. A power ministry delegation led by joint secretary Rita Acharya had visited Pakistan, earlier this week, and discussed the broad contours of the proposed arrangement.

 

According to reports, Pakistan, which is reeling under electricity stress, plans to import 1,000 mw power from India alone. India which has installed capacity of over 2,11,000 mw plans to add another 88,000 mw electricity by March 2017.