Bhubaneswar: Odisha plans to sell power to Bangladesh through Power Grid Corporation of India Limited.

The Grid Corporation of Odisha (Gridco) has won the technical and commercial bid called by the Bangladesh Power Development Board.

Gridco director (finance) B.P. Mohapatra said: "Gridco will sell 250MW of power per day to Bangladesh from 2020 to 2030. Financial bids are likely to be invited by the board in the next 15 days."

Gridco will supply 250MW of power to Berhampur sub-division of Murshidabad power sub-station of Bengal through its network. "Once we send power through our network, Power Grid Corporation of India Limited will dispatch the power to Bangladesh," he said.

An official said: "We are also hopeful that by trading with Bangladesh, Gridco will be able to fetch higher margins compared with selling them at the volatility ridden energy exchanges."

Sources said five other competitors, including Adani Power and the Damodar Valley Corporation, are also in the fray to sell power to Bangladesh. "We have to wait till the next fortnight," he said.

Energy minister Sushant Singh said: "Odisha has not only become self sufficient in power, but also is a surplus state with comprehensive power management plan. With installed capacity of 5,914MW, including external allocations, we have successfully managed availability of power at any point of demand."

He said the peak power demand of the state had increased from 3,700MW in 2013-14 to 4,000MW in 2017-18. "To manage such increasing demand with low-cost power, the energy department has made optimum generation of hydro power. A sum of Rs 607 crore is being invested for renovation of Burla, Chiplima and Balimela units of the Odisha Hydro Power Corporation," Singh said.