India blocks 20MW addl power export from Nepal to Bangladesh
The approved 40MW export is generated from the Trishuli and Chilime hydropower projects, which already hold export clearance for India
Bangladesh's plans to import an additional 20 megawatts (MW) of electricity from Nepal starting 15 June have hit a snag as the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) of India has withheld approval, citing transmission line capacity constraints.
Consequently, Nepal will limit its power export to the previously agreed 40MW under the existing arrangement for the current monsoon season, reports The Kathmandu Post citing energy officials.
According to the officials, India's NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Limited (NVVN) informed the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) that the 1,000MW India–Bangladesh cross-border transmission line cannot accommodate the additional allocation.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
The proposed expansion will now require further discussions at the upcoming Nepal–India Joint Steering Committee (JSC) and Joint Working Group (JWG) meetings, alongside a new or revised tripartite agreement involving the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB).
"This time, only 40MW of electricity will be exported to Bangladesh," said Tharka Bahadur Thapa, director of NEA's electricity trade department, adding that the process for the additional 20MW had been initiated through NVVN at India's CEA before being stalled by the capacity constraints.
A bilateral Nepal-Bangladesh JSC meeting on 2 October 2024, followed by a tripartite agreement signed on 3 October that year, among the NEA, BPDB, and NVVN, originally enabled the annual export of 40MW of electricity to Bangladesh from 15 June to 15 November.
Nepal first transmitted electricity to Bangladesh for 12 hours on 15 November 2024, utilising the Dhalkebar–Muzaffarpur 400kV transmission line into India and the Baharampur–Bheramara 400kV line into Bangladesh.
A subsequent JSC meeting in Dhaka on 27 November 2025, had agreed in principle to expand the export by an additional 20MW, which would bring total exports to 60MW.
The approved 40MW export is generated from the Trishuli and Chilime hydropower projects, which already hold export clearance for India.
However, the same projects will require separate Indian approvals for the additional 20MW allocation destined for Bangladesh.
Unlike transactions with India, which are conducted in Indian rupees, power trade settlements with Bangladesh are processed in US dollars.
