UAE entity to test feasibility of power link with India

Emirati state-backed Etihad Water and Electricity (EtihadWE) plans to undertake a feasibility study for a proposed undersea power interconnector between the UAE and India.

An expression of interest has been issued, inviting consultants to submit plans by January 31 to carry out a techno-economic feasibility study, the utility provider said in a statement.

The study aims to assess the long-term technical, economic and market viability of power exchange between the UAE and India. It will include physical route surveys, evaluation of energy-exchange scenarios, cost-benefit analysis, grid-impact assessments and optimisation of interconnector capacity through sensitivity studies.

The study will also provide refined cost estimates, supply-chain and execution timelines, legal and regulatory reviews, risk identification and support for the preparation of draft tender documents and technical specifications. 

Furthermore, it will outline bankable financing, ownership and operational structures, including revenue-maximisation initiatives and an implementation and operations schedule.

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In June 2023, India and the UAE discussed connecting their grids through undersea cables as part of a “one sun, one world, one grid” initiative, India’s Economic Times newspaper reported.

“Solar power can be traded between the two countries because of the time difference,” the report quoted an unidentified government official as saying.