Nepal resumes 40 MW electricity exports to Bangladesh after flood disruption

Nepal has resumed exporting electricity to Bangladesh after flood damage halted supplies, delivering 40 megawatts through India’s transmission network since last Friday, the Kathmandu Post reported.

Exports were suspended after a sudden flood on the Kushi River on August 26 damaged the Trishuli and Chilime hydropower plants. The two plants were the ones approved to supply electricity to Bangladesh.

Dirghayu Kumar Shrestha, managing director of the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), said the resumption was possible after India’s Central Electricity Authority permitted electricity generated at other Nepali hydropower plants to be supplied to Bangladesh.

Under the new arrangement, electricity from the Sola Khola and Kaveli B-1 hydropower plants will be supplied to Bangladesh, while power from the Lower Modi Khola plant has been approved for supply to India’s Haryana. This covers the shortfall left by the Trishuli, Chilime and Devighat plants.

Shrestha said restarting exports to Bangladesh by continuing to sell power from other projects, despite the flood and transmission damage, was an important step forward for Nepal’s electricity trade.

On October 3, 2024, the NEA and the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) signed a five-year agreement for seasonal electricity exports.

Under the agreement, Nepal will supply Bangladesh with 40 megawatts of electricity every year from June 15 to November 15.