Singapore is open to the possibility of importing electricity from countries in the region, including India, the Energy Market Authority (EMA) told The Straits Times, on August 13.
This response comes following a set of questions sent to the authority seeking its comment on a reported move by India and Singapore to try and link their power grids.
Moneycontrol could not independently verify this news development.
The EMA welcomes proposals to import as much as four gigawatt of electricity into Singapore, according to the report. It is seeking bids till December 29 and will select and appoint companies to import the electricity.
Energy security
In the past, India and Singapore had fast-tracked plans to connect their power grids through an undersea cable via Andaman & Nicobar, allowing India to supply Singapore with renewable energy.
Power market instability has been a problem in Singapore due to wild price swings. In order to ensure a reliable and affordable supply of electricity, alternative sources of electricity are needed. Energy security in the city-state would be enhanced by importing electricity from other countries.
In the past, Singapore had said it would explore a variety of options, including regional power grids, for expanding renewable energy in the country because of land scarcity and intermittent solar power, as per a report by Economi Times (ET).
Due to their isolation from the mainland, the Andaman & Nicobar Islands faces unique challenges when it comes to power supply. Diesel generation accounts for almost 91 percent of the union territory's total generation capacity on various islands, while hydroelectricity and solar power make up the rest, the report added.
Additionally, the arrangement with Singapore will benefit the islands' connectivity, especially in terms of renewable energy.
India has also been in talks with Saudi Arabia and the UAE about connecting their power grids to trade renewable energy. In addition to Oman, where India could make a stop before connecting the UAE and Saudi Arabia, this proposal has been in the works for some time, the ET report further added.
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