A new electricity trading tender issued by the Nepal Electricity Authority has sparked controversy after it set a fixed rate to export 500 MW of surplus power to India during the monsoon season for five years.
The tender offers to sell electricity at INR 5.45 per unit from June to November between 2026 and 2030. Critics argue that fixing the rate in advance could prevent competitive bidding and potentially lead to significant financial losses. The move has drawn scrutiny because the NEA is currently importing electricity from India at around INR 6.90 per unit, raising concerns that the authority may be buying at a higher price while committing to sell at a lower one.