Work Plan Ready for Power Export to India: PM Oli

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli informed lawmakers that the government has prepared a roadmap and work plan to export 10,000 MW of electricity to India.

Responding to lawmakers’ queries in the House of Representatives on Thursday, the prime minister stated that the roadmap and work plan for 2023/24 were developed in line with a long-term power trade agreement.

The roadmap outlines that approximately 13,500 MW of electricity will be consumed domestically by the fiscal year 2034/35, with around 15,000 MW exported to India and Bangladesh.

The prime minister also revealed that the government plans to increase Nepal’s total power production capacity to 28,000 MW by that time. The roadmap and work plan have already been presented to the Council of Ministers.

Currently, Nepal’s power production capacity stands at around 3,240 MW.

PM Oli provided further details on the ongoing power export process and the projections for power production. Several high-voltage interstate transmission lines are being developed to facilitate the trade of up to 10,000 MW of electricity with India over the next 10 years.

Hydropower projects in Nepal promoted by India are expected to generate 3,679 MW of electricity. Additionally, projects in the agreement process are projected to produce 5,648 MW of electricity. The mega projects under government ownership, for which feasibility studies have been conducted, are expected to produce 4,431 MW of electricity.

“The first Nepal-India interstate transmission line, the 400 KV Dhalkebar-Mujaffarpur line, has been operational since 2016. The Arun-III hydropower project, promoted by an Indian company, is underway, and the 400 KV Dhalkebar-Sitamadhi interstate electricity transmission line is slated for completion this year,” PM Oli said.

He also highlighted other under-construction power projects, including the 400 KV Butwal-Gorakhpur transmission line with a capacity of 2,500 MW, and those under implementation, such as the 400 KV Inaruwa-Poornia transmission line with a capacity of 2,500 MW, and the Lamki-Bareli line.

“Nepal’s internal power transmission system must be robust and capable of ensuring the export of 10,000 MW to India via Nepal-India interstate power transmission lines,” he emphasized. The 400 KV Hetauda-Dhalkebar-Inaruwa transmission line is in its final stage of construction. The Lapsiphedi-Ratmate-New Hetauda and Ratmate-New Damauli-New Butwal 400 KV electricity transmission lines will begin construction soon.

The prime minister also provided updates on other electricity production projects, including the Khimti-Bahrabise-Kathmandu 400 KV line, the Marsyangdi corridor 220 KV line, and the Chilime-Trishuli 220 KV line.

“The power trade agreement between Nepal and Bangladesh was scheduled to be signed on July 28, but it was postponed at the last minute due to the recent unrest in Bangladesh,” PM Oli informed.

Given the formation of an interim government in Bangladesh, the Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation are working to sign the agreement as soon as possible, the prime minister added.

Nepal will begin by exporting 40 MW of electricity to Bangladesh in the first phase. -- RSS