Kathmandu, 8 Kati 2024 – The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) reported that it exported electricity worth 5 billion 92 million 50 lakhs of Nepalese rupees to India during the month of Asok in the current fiscal year 2083‑84. The figure represents a rise in export revenue compared with the same month last year and with the current year’s Bhado month, despite the impact of floods on several hydropower plants. Executive Director Dihrayukumar Shrestha said that although some plants approved for export were shut down because of flood damage, the overall export revenue increased. “In Asok, about two‑thirds of the electricity exported to India was sold under bilateral agreements, and the remainder was sold through the Indian Energy Exchange (IX) in day‑ahead and real‑time markets,” he explained. According to NEA’s Power System Operations Department (Bhar Preshan Kendra), a total of 63 398 868.8 units of electricity were exported to India in Asok, generating the reported revenue. The exports were split between bilateral sales to the Indian states of Haryana and Bihar and sales on the IX platform. NEA has been exporting surplus domestic electricity to India and Bangladesh for years. Under the bilateral agreements, electricity is sold to Haryana and Bihar from June to October. In Asok 2082, export revenue to India was 4 billion 96 million 30 lakhs, while in the current year’s Bhado it was 5 billion 9 million 25 lakhs. Compared with last year’s Asok, the current year’s Asok revenue is higher by 9 billion 62 million 20 lakhs, and compared with Bhado it is higher by 8 billion 32 million 5 lakhs. The first three months of the current fiscal year (Sawan, Bhado, Asok) yielded a total export revenue of 16 billion 15 million 13 lakhs. The 40 MW export to Bangladesh, which had been suspended due to flood damage, resumed on 6 Kati 2024. The export was carried out through the Indian transmission system. On 10 Bhado, a flood on the Ratochhi River in Rasuwa caused damage to the Trishuli and Chilmey hydropower stations, which had been approved for export to Bangladesh. The damage partially affected exports to Haryana. After obtaining approval from the Central Electricity Authority of India to export electricity from other hydropower stations, NEA resumed exports. Under the new arrangement, electricity from Solu, Kabeli‑1 and Lower Modi hydropower stations will be exported to Bangladesh and Haryana. NEA and the Bangladesh Power Development Board signed a five‑year agreement on 17 Asok 2081, under which 40 MW of electricity is exported to Bangladesh each year from 15 June to 15 November. The Central Electricity Authority of India has also granted permission to export an additional 31 MW. With the new approvals, the total capacity available for export to Bangladesh and India has increased to approximately 1 179 MW.
Article source: Gorkhapatra National Daily | Image credit: Gorkhapatra National Daily