Nepal Requests India’s Approval to Export Additional 20 MW of Electricity to Bangladesh

The Government of Nepal has requested India to allow the export of an additional 20 MW of electricity to Bangladesh using Indian transmission lines. Under the existing trilateral arrangement among Nepal, India and Bangladesh, Nepal has been exporting 40 MW of power to Bangladesh from June 15 to November 15 during the monsoon season.

According to the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Energy Minister Kulman Ghising made the request during a meeting on Tuesday with Munu Mahawar, Additional Secretary at India’s Ministry of External Affairs.

Nepal and Bangladesh require Indian transmission infrastructure to conduct cross-border power trade. During the Joint Steering Committee meeting of energy secretaries of Nepal and Bangladesh on November 27, Bangladesh had agreed to purchase an additional 20 MW of electricity from Nepal. Officials at the Energy Ministry say the current transmission line can accommodate the extra supply.

Minister Ghising also urged India to remove the requirement for Nepal to renew export permissions annually for selling power in India’s Day-Ahead and Real-Time Markets, and instead make a one-time approval valid.

He also sought additional support from India’s EXIM Bank through its Line of Credit for the construction of transmission infrastructure. Several key projects—including the Koshi Corridor, Modi–Lekhnath transmission line and substations—are already being built under the EXIM Bank’s credit line. The 132 kV Solu Corridor project was remotely inaugurated by the prime ministers of Nepal and India during the Nepali PM’s visit to India on April 2, 2022.

During the meeting, Minister Ghising also said that necessary coordination is underway between the ministry and the Investment Board Nepal to resolve issues related to forest land use for the Lower Arun and Arun III hydropower projects.