Public sector hydro-power companies NHPC, SJVN and THDC will ink deals with Bhutan government-owned power companies for implementation of four hydel projects, including 770-MW Chamkharchhu-I under

India’s PSU hydropower companies are setting up projects entailing combined investments of R20,000-25,000 crore in Bhutan, report Noor Mohammad & Huma Siddiqui in New Delhi.

The Himalayan kingdom has allocated four projects to NHPC, SJVN and THDC for implementation in joint ventures with Bhutan’s state-owned companies. Indian banks and financial institutions are expected to finance these projects.

India and the US are pushing Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) and Westinghouse Electric Company (WEC) to expedite commercial discussions for 30,000 MW of nuclear generation in the public

GAIL (India) will be the first Indian company to import shale gas after receiving a waiver from the US department of energy (DoE), whose permission is needed for oil and gas exports to countries th

Reaffirming their commitment to the timely implementation of the civil nuclear cooperation agreement, India and the US are pushing the Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) and Westinghouse to expedite their consultations for a plant.

India is planning to add 30,000 MW of nuclear generation in the public sector in the next 20 years, which means business worth $100 billion for reactor suppliers and civil construction firms.

A unique initiative started by the government is helping women from as far as Latin America and Africa light up their lives and homes. Barefoot Solar Engineers, a government initiative, teaches semi-literate and illiterate rural poor women to harness solar energy through the construction of photovoltaic systems and solar-powered lanterns.

The women are being trained under the ministry of external affairs' very successful Solar Engineer Plan as part of its India Technical Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme at Rajasthan’s Tilonia. The Barefoot College, a grassroots movement , was adopted as a training institute in 2008.

India will push for increased access of energy companies in Bhutan during the forthcoming visit of the external affairs minister to Bhutan next week.

The move is aimed at countering China that of late has increased its presence in the neighbouring country. Several Indian companies are already present in Bhutan undertaking feasibility studies for Hydel power projects. India is also concerned that presence of Chinese companies especially in the power sector could increase the prospects of such entities making backdoor entry into India's critical infra sector.

New Delhi Reliance is expected to source ultra heavy crude from the Orinoco oil belt

The country’s largest private oil and gas explorer, Reliance Industries, signed a 15-year oil supply contract with Venezuela’s state oil company, PDVSA, in Caracas on Tuesday. Venezuela’s Orinoco oil belt is expected to supply up to 400,000 barrels of crude oil per day to India to boost energy requirements of the country. Reliance is supposed to source ultra heavy crude from the Orinoco oil belt that will also help Venezuelan state-owned petroleum company to increase production.

New Delhi With investors keen on acquiring land abroad for agriculture and mining, the government has taken the first step to smoothen land acquisitions in Latin American countries. Indian missions in the region have posted a handbook detailing various aspects of land acquisition on their websites.

The handbook, prepared by industry body Assocham, provides information on various land policies and laws in 10 LatAm countries, including Brazil, Argentina, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Panama, Ecudor and Trinidad & Tobago. The handbook has drawn on inputs provided by Indian ministries and the data collated from various missions and embassies located here.

New Delhi India's energy plans in Russia may suffer a setback with the country’s nuclear liability law coverage extending to the Kudankulam power plant set up with Moscow’s participation.

Russia is already upset after its telecom major Sistema was asked to pay more as licence fee after the 2G spectrum scam. These two major irritants will be the key issues that President Putin would be discussing when he arrives here in October for a summit.