Nepal has started exporting electricity to Bangladesh on a regular basis. Starting on June 15, Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) is exporting 40 megawatts of electricity to Bangladesh via an Indian transmission line. On July 15 last year, NEA exported electricity to Bangladesh for the first time for a duration of 12 hours through the same Indian line.
NEA, Bangladesh Power Development Board (PDB), India’s Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Limited signed a power trade agreement on October 4 last year. According to the agreement, 18.60 megawatts from the Trishuli Hydropower Plant and 21.40 megawatts from the Chilime Hydropower Project are being exported to Bangladesh. The electricity export to Bangladesh will continue until November 15 this season.
The government is expected to earn 8.76 million US Dollars in revenue from this export. The electricity is being sold at 6.40 US cents per unit. The electricity will reach Bangladesh’s Bheramara substation via Nepal’s 400 kV Dhalkebar substation, through India’s Muzaffarpur and Baharampur.
Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation Minister Deepak Khadka expressed that it is a matter of happiness that Nepal can now export surplus electricity during the rainy season to both India and Bangladesh.
Every year during the five-month monsoon season, Nepal exports surplus electricity to Haryana and Bihar states of neighbouring India. Nepal is currently exporting about 280 megawatts of power to India.
According to the Government of Nepal’s Energy Development Roadmap 2081 (2024), the country aims to produce 28,500 megawatts of electricity and export 15,000 megawatts by 2035.
