BIMSTEC Energy Centre Organizes Capacity Building Program on Emerging Power Sector Technologies in Bengaluru
The five-day program for the seven BIMSTEC member nations aimed to share technical knowledge and new technologies within the power sector.
Under the aegis of the Ministry of Power, the BIMSTEC Energy Centre (BEC) organized a five-day capacity building program in Bengaluru from September 14 to 18, 2026. Conducted in hybrid mode, the main theme of the program was "New and Emerging Technologies in the Power Sector (Generation, Transmission, Distribution, and End-Use)."
The program was inaugurated on September 14, 2026, by Mr. Ghanshyam Prasad, Executive Director of BEC and Chairman of the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), and Mr. Pankaj Kumar, Joint Secretary (Transmission) of the Ministry of Power. Present during the inaugural session were Mrs. J. Sridevi, Director General of the Central Power Research Institute (CPRI), Mr. Asit Singh, Member Secretary (SRPC), Mr. M.S. Hejib, Executive Director of Powergrid SRTS-II, and Mr. T. Srinivas, Executive Director of the Southern Regional Load Despatch Centre (SRLDC). Participants from India, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and Thailand attended in person, while representatives from Bangladesh, Myanmar, and the BIMSTEC Secretariat in Dhaka participated online.
The training program focused on key emerging technologies, including renewable energy, Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), green hydrogen, Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS), long-duration energy storage, Small Modular Reactors (SMR), smart grids, and the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in power systems. Additionally, advanced transmission technologies such as FACTS, HTLS conductors, Dynamic Line Rating, grid-forming converters, and the India Energy Stack were covered.
In addition to classroom sessions, participants were taken on various technical and industrial visits. These included the 2500 MW HVDC Kolar Powergrid station, the Ohmium International Green Hydrogen Electrolyzer Gigafactory, Powergrid's RTAMC, SRLDC/REMC control rooms, CPRI laboratory facilities, and the Hot Line Training Centre (HLTC), NPT.
The program concluded on September 18, 2026, in the presence of Mr. Bhagwan Sahay Bairwa, Chief Engineer of the CEA, where certificates were distributed to the participants.
The BIMSTEC Energy Centre (BEC) commenced its operations in Bengaluru on April 1, 2025. The center serves as a center of excellence to promote sustainable development, energy security, and energy integration among Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.
