As a positive sign of sub-regional energy cooperation in South Asia, Nepal exported 40 MW of electricity to Bangladesh through the Indian transmission line on 15 November 2024.

Nepal, which is blessed with immense hydropower potential, regularly exports its hydroelectricity to India. For the first time, Nepal is exporting it to Bangladesh. This is also the first time that a country is exporting electricity to another country through the Indian electricity grid.

Who inaugurated the energy export?

The energy export to Bangladesh from Nepal via India was virtually inaugurated by the Union Minister for Power, Manohar Lal Khattar, Nepal’s Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Deepak Khadka and the Energy Advisor to the Bangladesh government, Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan on 15 November 2024.

Bangladesh has had no government since Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled to India on 4 August 2024 following a mass student protest in Dhaka. However, there is an interim government led by Muhammed Yunus, and the members of the government are called advisors.

Background to the Electricity Export Deal

During the visit of Nepalese Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ to India in May/June 2023, an agreement was reached between India and Nepal for the export of 40 MW of electricity from Nepal to Bangladesh through the Indian Transmission line.

Subsequently, on 3 October 2024, in Kathmandu, Nepal, NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam, Bangladesh Power Development Board, and the Nepal Electricity Authority signed an agreement to facilitate electricity transmission from Nepal to Bangladesh via India.

As per the tripartite agreement Nepal will export electricity to Bangladesh through India from 15 June to mid-November. This is the monsoon period and generally there is no shortage of water in the Nepalese hydroelectric plants reservoirs.

Indian Transmission Line to be used

The 400KV Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur transmission line will be used to evacuate power from Nepal to India, and by using the Indian grid, it will be transmitted to Bangladesh. The Dhalkebar substation is in Nepal, and Muzaffarpur is in india.

The Muzaffarpur Substation in Bihar will be the injection point for electricity, while the Behrampur Substation in Odisha will be the withdrawal point.