India-UAE interconnection in the works: India will invest some USD 5.1 bn to build a 1.4k km undersea power transmission line linking its grid to the UAE, according to a statement (pdf) by India’s Power Ministry. The 2 GW line is part of Indian PM Modi’s “ One Sun, One World, One Grid ” initiative.

This has been in the works for a while: The two countries held talks to connect their grids to allow trade in renewable energy two years ago. The link is part of a broader strategy to monetize the Emirates’ growing spare generation capacity — currently around 50% — driven by major solar and nuclear investments.

Saudi is getting one too: A similar 2 GW line connecting India and Saudi Arabia is also in the pipeline. The 1.7k km project comes with an estimated price tag of some USD 5.5 bn.

Zooming out: India currently trades some 4.1 GW of electricity with its neighbors — Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Myanmar.

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