Health of national grid vital

by Vishwas Kothari, TNN | Aug 4, 2012, 05.58PM IST



PUNE: Director general of Institute of Defence Studies and Analysis (IDSA) Arvind Gupta has said that the country can barely afford to disregard the health of the national energy grids, which is critical to national security.

"The recent failures of the national electricity grids, which had half of India reeling in darkness, have brought out serveral key issues pertaining to energy security, which has both, internal and external dimensions," said Gupta, a 1979 batch Indian Foreign Services officer, at a round table on 'Energy security and environment' here.

"Issues like the state of critical infrastructure, unending electricity shortages, which lead to indiscipline in electricity withdrawal from the grid, the impact of weather on energy demand, the need for energy sector reforms and the efficacy of recovery efforts, are needed to be addressed on priority," he said.

A substantial part of India's energy needs are met from the import of crude oil, liquefied natural gas, coal and, now, uranium ore from far off and difficult regions, he said. "These supplies are sensitive to geopolitcal developments on which India may have no control," he added.

"Heavy dependence on energy imports translates into national security concern and having a proactive and nuanced foreign policy becomes key to addressing energy security concerns," he said.

"Five key challenges to energy security viz. reducing the widening energy demand-supply gap; managing security of the sea lanes of communications through which much of India's energy imports pass; understanding and addressing the geopolitical risks to energy supplies; safeguarding the country's interests in the climate change negotiations and investment in energy efficiency and renewable sources, need to be factored in India's foreign policy," he said.