The Nepal Weekly 
February 21, 2023
Nepal and India inked an agreement to increase the power import and export capacity from existing 600 to 800 MW through the Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur 400 KV transmission line.
The agreement was reached at the meeting of the Energy Secretary-level Joint Steering Committee held in Mount Abu, Rajasthan, India on Saturday, according to a press release issued by Ministry of Energy on Sunday.
During the 10th meeting of Nepal India Energy Secretary level Joint Steering Committee
“discussions were held on various important issues such as expanding the power of existing, under-construction and proposed transmission lines, Arun Third hydro electricity power and related transmission line projects and international power export and import.”
The meeting co-chaired by Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Madhu Prasad Bhetwal and Alok Kumar, Secretary at the Ministry of Electricity, India concluded at Mt. Abu in Rajsthan, India on Saturday.
According to the press release an agreement was reached to increase the capacity to import-export electricity through 400 KV Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur transmission line by 200 MW.
Similarly, an agreement was reached between the two sides to import and export 70 to 80 megawatts of electricity from Tanakpur-Mahendranagar 132 KV power transmission. “A joint technical team will study possible options for exporting up to 200 megawatts of electricity as well,” added the press release.
“India has responded positively to Nepal’s request to grant permission to export 50 MW of electricity to Bangladesh via India as per export-import guidelines, if a specific proposal is submitted. “
It has also been agreed to set up necessary mechanism to export power from Nepal to the Indian state of Bihar during the rainy season through the existing 132 KV transmission line.” Both the parties agreed on the early completion of the construction work of the Indian section of the 400 KV new Butwal-Gorakhpur transmission line as the second international transmission line by March 2025.” “According to the statement, it has also been agreed to build two more 400 KV capacity international transmission lines between Nepal and India, including Inaruwa-Poornia transmission line by 2027/28 and New Lamki-Bareli transmission line by 2028/29.”
