Nepal, India Agree to Build New Projects in The Energy Sector

At the Nepal-India Energy Joint Meeting, Nepal and India have reached an agreementto build new projects by injecting joint investment in the hydropower sector.

In the meeting that started in Kathmandu, the two countries agreed to build more transmission lines, complete the transmission lines that are under construction and proposed new cross -country transmission lines, completion of Arun 3 hydropower project and energy export and import.

According to a press release issued by the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Nepal and India have agreed to form a joint technical team consisting of three members from each country to construct a large hydropower project.

During the meeting, Nepal had requested for approval of various proposals submitted by Nepal Electricity Authority to export electricity to India before the coming rainy season.

“There has been consensus between the two sides that India would give approval for Nepal’s proposal to export power to India from various hydropower projects in Nepal at the earliest as per India’s existing rules on power trade,” the ministry said in a press statement.

Nepal is currently allowed to export only 39 MW of project power to the Indian Energy Exchange market. Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has also proposed to allow additional 814 MW project electricity to enter the market.

Exporting more power to India in the upcoming monsoon season was one of the agenda items of the joint secretary-level Joint Working Group and secretary-level Joint Steering Committee meetings between the two countries, in Kathmandu.

According to Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), it has submitted to India a fresh list of hydropower projects by incorporating the projects which were submitted last year too along with a few new ones seeking export approval.

The projects include Upper Tamakoshi (456MW), Upper Bhotekoshi (45MW), Kaligandaki (144MW), Marshyangdi (69 MW), Middle Marshyangdi (70MW) and Chameliya (30MW) and Likhu IV (52.4MW) where Nepal wants to export power to India.

Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) and the Government of India’s Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PowerGrid) will constitute the company for upgrading the new transmission lines.