India's Rs.31,000-Crore Andamans-Paradip Subsea Power Link Driven by Geopolitical Strategy

In its latest National Electricity Plan (Vol. II - Transmission), the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has outlined a groundbreaking proposal: a 1,150 km undersea high-voltage power cable to link Port Blair in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands with Paradip in Odisha. Estimated to cost ?31,000 crore for the first phase, this ambitious project aims to establish a reliable power connection between the islands and the Indian mainland.

The CEA report details a ±320 kV, 250 MW high-voltage direct current (HVDC) link, using voltage source converter (VSC) technology. This connection, capable of scaling up to 500 MW, would be the first of its kind in India, connecting the remote islands to the mainland via an undersea cable.

Power Scenario in ANI

According to statistics released by CEA, Andaman & Nicobar Islands (ANI) had installed capacity of 92.71 MW coming from diesel generation sets. Of this, around 62 per cent was owned by the UT administration while the remaining 38 per cent was under private ownership. Another 35.16 MW of

power generation capacity was available from renewable energy sources, mainly solar. There are no other sources of electricity generation in the islands. During FY24, the peak electricity demand of ANI was 65 MW, out of which 60 MW could be met.

The project, expected to take five years, will proceed in two phases. The second phase would add another 250 MW HVDC terminal at each end and expand the connection from Port Blair to the Nicobar Islands.

The proposal, however, raises questions, as current electricity demand in the Bay of Bengal islands is below 100 MW, and there has been no indication that the Andaman and Nicobar Islands could generate excess power for the mainland. Industry experts suggest the motivation is primarily strategic. A source familiar with the project noted that it aligns with India's geopolitical interests, particularly given the development of a new $5 billion International Container Transshipment Port at Galathea Bay in Great Nicobar, aimed at reinforcing India's influence over key shipping routes.

This undersea link could also lay the groundwork for a future expansion from Nicobar to Singapore, potentially positioning India as an energy provider to ASEAN countries. The collapse of the Sun Cable project-a 4,300 km undersea power transmission line planned between Australia and Singapore-presents a potential opportunity for India, as the distance from Great Nicobar to Singapore is roughly 1,700 km.

The project aligns with India's "One Sun, One World, One Grid" (OSOWOG) initiative, which envisions a global solar power grid to facilitate energy sharing between countries across time zones. The CEA report confirms that connections with countries such as Singapore, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Maldives are under discussion under OSOWOG. (Hindu)