Asia-Pacific News

Latest news and developments from Asia-Pacific region

• Indian L&T bags EPCC contract for 500 kV line in Malaysia

  January 14, 2021
  Indian engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) major, Larsen & Toubro (L&T), has recently bagged various contracts in India and overseas ranging in the area of INR10-25 billion.

• Indian Rinfra sells entire stake in PKTCL for INR9 billion

  January 14, 2021
  Reliance Infrastructure Limited (Rinfra), part of the India-based conglomerate Reliance Group, and Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID) have recently signed a termination agreement for Parbati Koldam Transmission Company Limited (PKTCL), the special purpose vehicle (SPV) that was formed for executing an INR9.57 billion project in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh.

• Turkmenistan and Afghanistan commission 500 kV power line

  January 14, 2021
  Turkmenistan and Afghanistan have recently commissioned the 500 kV Kerki (Turkmenistan)–Sheberghan (Afghanistan) transmission line.

• French Neoen to install 500 MW/1,000 MWh BESS in Australia

  January 13, 2021
  France-based Neoen SA, a renewable energy producer, has put forth a proposal to install a 500 MW/1,000 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS)— Great Western Battery—in the Wallerawang area of New South Wales.

• Australian Origin Energy seeks bidders for 700/2800 MWh battery

  January 13, 2021
  Australian integrated energy company, Origin Energy Limited, is seeking bidders to build a 700 MW/2,800 MWh battery storage system on the grounds of the Eraring power plant—the company's only coal power plant which is scheduled to close in 2032.

• Chinese CSG operationalises CNY3.71 billion project [free access]

  January 12, 2021
  Chinese grid developer, China Southern Power Grid (CSG), has recently operationalised a ±800 kV multi-terminal ultra-high voltage (UHV) flexible direct current (DC) project, transmitting power from the Wudongde hydropower station in Yunnan Province to the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Guangdong Province in Southwest China.

• New Zealand’s Transpower moves forward with NZD197 million transmission upgrade project

  January 12, 2021
  New Zealand’s national grid operator, Transpower, is moving forward with the construction works of the Clutha Upper Waitaki Lines Project (CUWLP).

• Nepal’s NEA increases capacity of 400 kV substation

  January 6, 2021
  The state-owned power utility Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has recently increased the capacity of the country’s largest substation, the 400 kV Dhalkebar substation.

• New Central Power Transmission Utility incorporated in India

  January 5, 2021
  The Indian grid developer, Power Grid Corporation of India (POWERGRID), has recently separated itself from the power transmission business, and incorporated a new entity named Central Transmission utility (CTU).

• Vietnamese EVN plans on digitalisation of transmission equipment by 2022

  January 5, 2021
  State-owned Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) has recently put forward plans to digitalise all its transmission line equipment and about 80 per cent of its 110 kV circuit facilities by 2022.

• Vietnam's CPMB to commission 24 power projects in 2021

  January 5, 2021
  Central Power Project Management Board (CPMB), subsidiary of state-owned Electricity of Vietnam (EVN), has recently announced its plans for energising 24 projects in 2021.

• Nepal’s NEA completes construction of 220 kV Dana–Kushma line

  January 4, 2021
  Construction works on Nepal Electricity Authority’s (NEA) 39-km-long, 220 kV Dana–Kushma power line and associated 220 kV substations have been completed.

• Pakistan’s NTDC selects Energy China for 500 kV line contract

  December 30, 2020
  Pakistan’s state-owned high voltage network developer, National Transmission and Despatch Company Limited (NTDC), has recently awarded an engineering, procurement, construction (EPC) contract to China Energy Engineering Corporation Limited (Energy China).

• Nepal signs NPR18 billion loan agreement with ADB for grid modernisation

  December 30, 2020
  Nepal’s Ministry of Finance (MoF) has recently signed an NPR18.25 billion loan agreement with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for the modernisation of electric grid in the country.

• ADB approves USD200 million additional loan for Bangladesh’s power project

  December 30, 2020
  The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the government of Bangladesh have recently signed an agreement for USD200 million in additional loans, including USD130 million of concessional loans, for augmenting access to efficient and reliable electricity supply in rural areas of Bangladesh, by strengthening the transmission and distribution networks.

• Indian KEC commissions 500 kV project in Thailand

  December 30, 2020
  Indian engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) major, KEC International, has recently commissioned the 500 kV Pluak Daeng air-insulated switchgear (AIS) substation expansion project for the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT).

• Indian Sterlite, Australian AMP to strengthen Indian power infrastructure

  December 29, 2020
  India-based power transmission asset developer Sterlite Power Transmission Limited (SPTL) and Australia-based global investment manager AMP Capital have recently entered into a 50:50 partnership to develop energy transmission projects in India with a total equity investment of USD300 million.

• Australian private developers plan for 28 MW/56 MWh battery project [free access]

  December 28, 2020
  A Sydney-headquartered private investment firm, Precinct Capital and renewable energy and storage developer Edify Energy have formed a joint venture (JV) to undertake a 28 MW/56 MWh battery energy storage project.

• South Korean KEPCO faces issues in construction of 500 kV HVDC line

  December 23, 2020
  South Korean power utility, Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), is facing a lag in commencement of construction activities for the planned 500 kV high voltage direct current (HVDC) East Coast─Singapyeong transmission line project.

• Singaporean Keppel to invest in 500 MW Australian project [free access]

  December 23, 2020
  Keppel Renewable Energy, the renewables arm of Singapore-based Keppel Corporation, has offered to buy a 45 per cent stake in Harlin Solar, a special purpose vehicle (SPV) established in August 2020 to develop a 500 MW solar farm at Harlin, about 100 kilometres northwest of Brisbane, Queensland.