Nepal Begins Daily Import of 670,000 Units of Electricity from India Amid Dry Season

With the onset of the dry season, Nepal has started importing 670,000 units (670 MW-hour) of electricity daily from India to meet domestic demand. As the flow of water in rivers and streams has declined, hydropower generation has dropped, prompting the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) to rely on imports during the daytime for the past week.

NEA Managing Director Hitendra Dev Shakya confirmed that while Nepal continues to export electricity to India at night, it imports power during the day. “For about a week, we have been importing up to 670 MW-hour of electricity daily. Hydropower generated during the day is stored and exported at night when domestic demand is lower. Similarly, we are importing electricity from India during the daytime at lower rates,” he said.

According to Shakya, Nepal is currently exporting 3.3 million units (3,300 MW-hour) of electricity daily. Earlier in late October, India’s Central Electricity Authority had approved NEA to purchase 1,054 MW of electricity through the IEX. However, the approval is valid only until December 31, requiring Nepal to seek fresh permission for imports afterward. NEA has stated that no new approval has been obtained yet for imports after the approval expires, but the process is underway, and clearance is expected soon.

Most of Nepal’s power plants rely on river flows, generating electricity at full capacity during the monsoon, which allows the country to meet domestic demand and export surplus power to India and Bangladesh. However, in winter, reduced water flows limit production, necessitating imports to meet local needs.

Nepal’s installed electricity capacity is currently 3,800 MW, while the peak demand stands at around 2,200 MW. Due to low river flows at present, the generation capacity is less, Shakya noted.

He added that while Nepal has been exporting electricity at night and importing during the day, full exports will stop, and imports will continue after December 31.

Last year, India had approved the purchase of 650 MW of electricity between November 20 and March 15 but restricted imports during peak hours. Between March 16 and June 30, imports of 654 MW were allowed daily for 12 hours (6 am to 6 pm), with a later extension permitting imports between 11 pm and 4 am. NEA expects a similar approval arrangement this year.