New Delhi
11 January 2006
As Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern gets ready for a
weeklong visit to India, analysts like the Washington-based Ambassador
Teresita Schaffer have suggested common electricity grid like the one
being designed for Ireland as a cofidence building measure for India and
Pakistan.
Ambassador Schaffer, who was in New Delhi last week, recommends in
her report titled "Kashmir: The Economics of Peace Building" that a
common electricity grid for Jammu and Kashmir including Pakistan
Occupied Kashmir could further the cause of peace between India and
Pakistan.
Sources told this newspaper that a Norwegian company, Nordpool, is
designing the new integrated Ireland market. "[This] single electricity
market [will] integrate the Republic of Ireland with Northern Ireland. This
will also have a peace making [or] integrating effect," they observed.
The sources said Nordpool is also engaged in the Southern African Power
Pool, which is a project for connecting all countries in the Southern Africa
into one single, integrated electricity market.
"Nordpool has designed the market, and the Southern African Power Pool
is currently in the phase of procuring the software for setting up the power
exchange in Harare, Zimbabwe," the sources said.
"The idea behind the Southern African Power Pool is not primarily to
secure peace, as there are no conflicts except Congo, but rather to share
sparse resources. [However,] trade and dependence of trade [could] lead
to integration and peace," they added.
Incidentally, the Oslo-based Nordpool is collaborating with National
Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) on a project for developing a power
exchange among other things for India.
The Irish premier, Mr Ahern, will be accompanied on his India visit by by
over 100 trade officials and business leaders. He is expected to focus on
leveraging India's burgeoning market and its expertise in ICT and
biotechnology.
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