BD, India to ink deal for 50 MW electricity from Nepal thru Bheramara grid line

Bangladesh is set to ink a fresh deal with India to import 50 MW of electricity from Nepal by December to minimize the nagging power crisis.
"We would like to import 50 MW of electricity through Bheramara grid line as we are badly suffering in terms of electricity issue is concerned and our plan is to sign a deal in this regard very shortly," Power Cell DG Mohammad Hossain told the Daily Observer on Saturday. He, however,  did not disclose the tariff but said,  "As it is hydropower we may get it within Tk 5 to Tk 6 per unit."
"A secretary-level Joint Steering Committee (JSC) has been formed for energy cooperation between Nepal and Bangladesh and both the countries have decided to request India to allow export of 40 to 50 MW of electricity from Nepal to Bangladesh in the initial phase to utilize the high voltage direct current power systems located in Bheramara of Bangladesh," Mohammad Hossain said.
As Nepal and Bangladesh do not share borders and India lies between the two countries, India's cooperation will be crucial to enable trading of electricity between Nepal and Bangladesh. In line with this issue, a tripartite agreement is essential among Bangladesh-Nepal-India to implement the plan.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, during her state visit to India recently, requested for allowing import of electricity from Nepal directly.
According to the joint statement issued on September 7 at     the conclusion of the visit, the Bangladeshi side asked India to provide passage for the import of power from Nepal and Bhutan. The two sides also agreed to hold a tripartite meeting between Nepal Electricity Authority, NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam (NVVN) of India and Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) for construction of Nepal-Bangladesh dedicated transmission line.
In 2019, Indian company GMR and Bangladesh had signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) and signed PPA. GMR also signed deal with Nepal to import hydro power for Indian territory.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh is now getting around 900 MW of electricity from Bheramara point although it should be 1,000 MW as per contract, however, we failed to utilize the capacity of this grid line, so we could be able to import more from here right now to manage the nagging power crisis, a senior official of the Power Division said.
Currently, Bangladesh imports 1,160 MW power from India through Baharampur-Bheramara and Tripura-Cumilla cross-border grid lines through Bheramara and Tripura.
In 2013, India and Bangladesh inaugurated the Baharampur-Bheramara cross-border power transmission link between the countries that would initially facilitate the exchange of 500 MW of power. Phase by phase, Bangladesh has increased import of electricity from India that reached around 1,100 MW by this time.
Meanwhile, in September 2021, Nepal and Bangladesh agreed to develop a dedicated transmission line between the two neighbouring countries. Besides, Dhaka expressed its interest in developing hydropower projects in Nepal.
During the fourth JSC meeting on energy cooperation, Bangladesh has informed Nepal that it would be concluding the deal to buy 500 MW electricity from 900 MW Upper Karnali hydropower project which will be developed by India's GMR Group by September.
"As part of that meeting agreement, Bangladesh is now set to sign the deal to purchase 40 MW to 50 MW agreements," Power Cell DG said.