India agrees to import 1,200MW electricity from Nepal

India has approved to purchase up to 1,200 MW of electricity from Nepal which is facing risk of an increasing surplus of the electricity generated by hydropower plants during rainy season. On the other hand, neighbouring country India is undergoing pressure to switch to the green energy from coal-based power plants.

India agreed upon Nepal’s offer to purchase the said amount of electricity in the bilateral energy talks that concluded on Saturday in Mount Abu, Rajasthan Mount, India. Mentioning an increasing production of electricity generated by hydropower plants in the country, Nepal offered India to buy the energy. The dialogues were carried out in the 10th Nepal-India Secretary (Joint Steering Committee – JSC) and Joint Secretary (Joint Working Group – JWG) meetings held a week back.

The secretary at the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation informed India’s consent on Nepal’s offer. He also mentioned that the Indian side has agreed to import 800 MW of electricity via the Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur cross-border transmission line during the rainy season.

So far, the neighbour country has allowed Nepal to sell 452 MW of electricity generated by 10 different hydropower plants projects through the Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur cross-border transmission line during the rainy season which is capable to bear 1,000 MW of transmission load. But India is allowing Nepal to supply not exceeding 600 MW. Now India is permitting additional 200 MW by using this structure as a modified provision for transmission.

The JSC meeting also approved Nepal to sell additional electricity by using four 132 kV transmission lines connected to Bihar for the upcoming monsoon. Both the countries have agreed to construct two cross border lines connecting Inaruwa, Nepal-Purniya (New), India, and Dodhara (Nepal)-Bareilly (India). Moreover, India is committed to complete construction of its transmission lines on its land in Bihar in the estimated time frame. India has also consented allowing Nepal to use these infrastructures to sell its produced energy to India, authorities concerned have added.

The meeting also consented over carrying out cross-border energy trading via 132 Tanakpur-Mahendranagar transmission lines. The infrastructure will be used to trade 70 MW in April and June and another 80 MW in March and July. India has given green signal also on Nepal’s proposal to carry out the intergovernmental long term power purchase agreement.

It also worth mention that India has been facilitating export 50 MW of electricity from Nepal to Bangladesh.