India working on connecting South East Asia power grids under OSOWOG

India working on connecting South East Asia power grids under OSOWOG

Subject: IR

Section: International relations

In News: India is working on connecting South East Asian power grids to Europe via Middle East Power under OSOWOG.

Key Points:

• As part of One Sun One World One Grid (OSOWOG), India, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Singapore are in advanced stages of creating a mega grid infrastructure, which will enable trade in renewable energy from South East Asia to Europe via the Middle East. 
•  India recently signed a memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Saudi Arabia, which includes grid interconnection.
• It will enable us to exchange electricity based on our requirements. It will also extend our reach to the Middle East grid and the European grid.
• Any deficits in power supply in those areas can be provided by us. Similarly, the reach of Saudi Arabia can be extended through us to the South East Asian grid, to which we will be connected Grid interconnection from South East Asia to Europe is part of the OSOWOG initiative.
• It will be beneficial to all the countries participating in the sense that these countries will be able to access renewable energy (RE) at the least cost.
• OSOWOG initiative is to introduce a transnational electricity grid that supplies power worldwide. It was first proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during the assembly of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) in 2018.
• India has had preliminary discussions with Singapore to have an undersea cable to Singapore and through Singapore to the ASEAN grid.
• The only requirement would be to see if there is enough traffic because if there is sufficient traffic between the regions then the transmission cost per unit will become affordable
• OSOWOG will change the power trading dynamics in Asia as the interconnected grid will help reduce battery storage, which is costly.