India agrees to renew permission to export its electricity to Nepal

India has agreed to renew export permission of electricity from the southern neighbour to Nepal as per its request.

The existing agreement expires on March 31. The Indian authorities on Friday agreed to the renewal of exporting electricity to Nepal two days before its expiry, Chandan Ghosh, Nepal Electricity Authority spokesperson told PTI. “We have received the notification about the renewal of agreement to export electricity to Nepal until June end,” he said.

Under the agreement Nepal can import I total 554 MW electricity from Nepal between 6 am to 6 pm. Under this Nepal can import 500 MW of electricity from Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur cross border transmission line and 54 MW through Tanakpur, he added.

Nepal is experiencing shortage of electricity as most of the domestic power plants in the country are based on run-of-the-river system and during winter there is less water in the rivers. Nepal’s domestic electricity production currently stands at around 1,200 MW while the country’s demand for electricity is 1,800 MW to 2,000 MW during this period. After mid-June Nepal will be in a position to export electricity to India, he added. As per the agreement Nepal will be able to import electricity from India from 6 am to 6 pm.