AGARTALA, Jan 9 (TIWN): With the aim to strike a feasible solution regarding the power tariff for the transmission of 100MW power to Bangladesh, a high level meeting between the representatives of India and Bangladesh is underway at Bangladesh on Saturday. Talking to TIWN correspondent on Saturday, Power Minister Manik Dey from Bangladesh said that the meeting is underway at Bangladesh and discussions are going on regarding the power tariff. He also said that he has reached to Bangladesh ON the previous day and is representing the meeting at Bangladesh on Saturday with others including Principal Secretary SK Rakesh, Chairman cum Managing Director SK Roy and others.It is to be mentioned here that Dey is at Dhaka at the invitation of Bangladesh Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Md Ali. Minister Dey also said that meeting has tabled discussion on 100 MW power to Bangladesh and mainly to dig out a solution to the much awaited power tariff regarding the power transmission to Bangladesh.He further said that the meeting has already begun from the morning, however, nothing is decided so far and vital discussions are underway. However, earlier Delhi also hoisted a meeting but couldn’t finalize anything on the issue.

 It is expected that the power tariff would be decided in the meeting. The Centre in consultation with the Tripura government had decided to sell 100MW power after the Bangladesh government allowed free transshipment of heavy turbines for the 726.6MW Palatana thermal power plant. The total expense for construction of transmission lines and towers is of Rs 250 crore, of which Rs 83 crore is for construction in Tripura.

Reportedly, The 100 MW power will be dispatched to Bangladesh from Suryamaninagar power sub-station at the outskirts of Agartala and for transmission of 100 MW power, the works on transmission lines is completed on 400 KV double circuit transmission lines. About 143 towers are set up for 47 kilometer long transmission lines up to South Comilla of Bangladesh. About Rs 250 crore is utilized to complete the transmission lines.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had raised the issue during her visit to Tripura in January 2012 and pressed for power sale from Palatana to her country.

For power transmission and supply, 47km of power cable lines are being set up to connect Surjyamani Nagar in southern Agartala with southern part of Comilla town in Bangladesh. In Tripura, there will be 17km of transmission lines while the remaining 29km lines will be within Bangladesh.

In Tripura, Power Grid Corporation of India Limited has laid the transmission lines while in the neighbouring country a local company has carried out the work.