With the request by Minister of Energy Janardan Sharma, India agrees to supply additional 80 MW power to Nepal from New Year 2017.

In his recent visit to India, Energy Minister Sharma held discussions with Piyush Goyal, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Power, Coal, New & Renewable Energy and Mine. The meeting held on December 30, 2016.

 Besides reviewing co-operation and expanding ties between the two countries in the power/energy sector, Minister of Energy, Nepal, had requested for an additional supply of 80 MW from India to alleviate power shortage in Nepal due to seasonal reduction in supply from domestic hydro projects in winter months. 

“In the spirit of regional co-operation championed by PM Narendra Modiji, within a period of just 20 days, the Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL) installed an additional 220/132kV, 100MVA transformer at Muzaffarpur substation in India. This transformer will facilitate additional power supply up to 80 MW to Nepal through the Muzaffarpur (India)-Dhalkebar (Nepal) transmission line,” said a press release issued by Indian Embassy.

 The additional 80 MW power transfer to Nepal is expected to commence from the first day of new year (1st January 2017). With this, the total supply of electricity to Nepal from India will be about 400 MW.

In February 2016, Prime Ministers of India and Nepal had inaugurated the first high capacity 400kV cross-border line (initially being operated at 132kV) from Muzaffarpur in India to Dhalkebar in Nepal. This had resulted in additional flow of 80 MW, enhancing the total power supply to Nepal to about 320 MW.

The Muzaffapur-Dhalkebar line is planned to be charged at 220kV with the commissioning of 220kV Dhalkebar substation in Nepal by March 2017. This will facilitate additional 150 MW of power transfer to Nepal. This would be followed by commissioning of 400 kV Substation at Dhalkebar (Nepal), which would enable operation of Muzaffarpur-Dhalkebar 400 kV D/c line at its rated voltage, leading to increase in power transfer to Nepal by 300-400 MW.

India is also working with Nepal to supply power through two more radial 132kV lines viz. Raxaul-Parwanipur and Kataiya-Kushaha, which are being commissioned through the grant assistance of Government of India.

India, through PGCIL, has also assisted Nepal in preparation of its electricity Master plans in short term (up to 2018-19), in medium term (up to 2021-22) and in long term (up to 2035). Accordingly, a number of high capacity cross-border interconnections are being considered between India and Nepal. These interconnections would be utilized for transfer of power from India to Nepal as well as for transfer of surplus power from Nepal to India.