Adani Power Rushes To Connect Godda Plant To Indian Grid Following Political Changes In Bangladesh

New Delhi: Following the shift of political power and uncertainty in Bangladesh, Adani Power is planning to connect its 1600 MW Godda coal-based power plant to the Indian grid. Currently, Adani Power supplies electricity from this plant to Bangladesh. The Godda plant in Jharkhand which began supplying power to Bangladesh in July 2023 supplies 7-10% of Bangladesh’s total power demand. 

According to news reports, the interim government in Bangladesh has hinted to Adani Power that it would review the 2017 power agreement with the company. 

The Godda power plant has received approval for connection to the Indian grid via a substation in Lakhisarai, Bihar. However, it will require Adani Power to build a 130-km long transmission line to connect with the Lakhisarai substation, which could take substantial time. 

Adani Power’s request for a faster connection via the Banka power substation which is about 30 km was declined by the Central Transmission Utility of India Ltd (CTUIL) due to technical limitations.

According to the news report, soon after Mohammad Yunus was sworn in as Chief Adviser of Bangladesh, the Centre recommended connectivity for the Godda plant to the Indian grid. 

A few days earlier, Adani Power informed the power ministry about the geopolitical issues and events of low demand, suggesting supplying power from Godda’s plant to the Indian grid would be a better option. 

The power ministry amended the Guidelines for Import/Export (Cross Border) of Electricity on August 12, permitting domestic power plants exclusively supplying neighbouring countries, such as Adani’s Godda plant, to also sell electricity within India. Additionally, the ministry instructed regulatory bodies to develop a standardized procedure for connecting these plants to the domestic grid.