BIMSTEC Energy Centre Conducts 5-Day Power Sector Capacity Building Programme in Bengaluru

The BIMSTEC Energy Centre (BEC), functioning under the aegis of the Union Ministry of Power, successfully conducted a five-day regional capacity building programme on 'New & Emerging Technologies in Power Sector' in Bengaluru. The hybrid initiative, held from September 14 to 18, 2026, brought together power system experts and policymakers from all seven Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) member states: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. The programme was inaugurated by Ghanshyam Prasad, Executive Director of BEC and Chairperson of the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), alongside senior power sector leaders. The technical sessions addressed critical areas including Renewable Energy integration, Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), Green Hydrogen, Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS), Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), and Artificial Intelligence applications in smart grid management. Participants engaged in technical lectures as well as field visits to major electrical infrastructure facilities in and around Bengaluru, including high-voltage direct current (HVDC) stations and load dispatch centres. The initiative marks a significant step forward in strengthening cross-border grid interconnections and energy security across South and Southeast Asia.