Nepal resumes power exports to BD

Nepal resumed exporting 40 megawatts of electricity to Bangladesh through India’s transmission network on Friday evening, after the August 26 Bhotekoshi flood damage to two hydropower plants disrupted supplies.
The exports had been suspended after the disaster damaged the Trishuli and Chilime hydropower plants, both of which had been approved to supply electricity to Bangladesh.

Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) Managing Director Dirghayu Kumar Shrestha said exports resumed after India’s Central Electricity Authority approved electricity generated by other hydropower plants for supply to Bangladesh.Under the revised arrangement, electricity from the Solu Khola and Kabeli B1 hydropower plants has been approved for export to Bangladesh, while the Lower Modi Khola plant has been cleared to supply Haryana.

The new approvals replace the previous designations for the Trishuli, Chilime and Devighat hydropower plants, reports the Kathmandu Post.

Shrestha said the resumption of exports to Bangladesh, alongside continued electricity sales from other projects despite flood damage to hydropower plants and transmission infrastructure, was an important development for Nepal’s electricity trade.

The renewed exports are expected to help Nepal manage surplus electricity generated during the monsoon and expand regional power trade, he said.

The NEA and the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) signed a five-year agreement on October 3, 2024, for seasonal electricity exports. Under the agreement, Nepal supplies 40 megawatts of electricity to Bangladesh each year from June 15 to November 15.�" UNB