India, Sri Lanka Sign MoU for HVDC Link to Boost Energy Integration

India and Sri Lanka made a crucial advancement in regional energy integration by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to create a High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) interconnection linking the two countries. This significant agreement was executed by Shri Vikram Misri, India's Foreign Secretary, and Prof. K.T.M. Udayanga Hemapala, Secretary of Sri Lanka's Ministry of Energy, during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's formal trip to Colombo.

This MoU is a component of a wider goal to establish a South Asian power grid, incorporating projects within the BBIN (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal) and SAARC contexts. It enhances other recent efforts like the Sampur Solar Power Project (120 MW) and the proposed Trincomalee Energy Hub, which seek to establish Sri Lanka as a regional energy hub.

The initiative intends to construct a 285-kilometre HVDC transmission network, featuring 50 km of underwater cables beneath the Palk Strait. It will link Madurai in Tamil Nadu, India, to Anuradhapura in northern-central Sri Lanka. The overall projected cost of the project is ₹9,900 crore (around $1.2 billion). The execution will be collaboratively managed by India’s Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd. (PGCIL) along with Sri Lanka's Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB).

The HVDC interconnection is intended to facilitate two-way power flow, enabling both nations to exchange electricity effectively according to demand and supply. This will not only improve grid reliability and energy security but also encourage the incorporation of renewable energy sources into the regional grid. As both nations expand solar, wind, and other renewable energy infrastructure, this international connection will assist in stabilizing supply and minimizing energy shortages.