Onlykashmir.in News Desk
India has approved the export of up to 654 megawatts of electricity to Nepal for eighteen hours a day, a decision aimed at helping the neighbouring country cope with an acute power shortfall triggered by recent flood damage to its hydropower infrastructure. The Union Ministry of Power has cleared the arrangement for the period between 00:00 hours and 18:00 hours daily, running from September 13 to December 31, 2026.
Under the approval, up to 600 MW will be routed through the Muzaffarpur to Dhalkebar 400 kV double-circuit transmission line, while an additional 54 MW will flow through the Tanakpur to Mahendranagar 132 kV single-circuit line to the Nepal Electricity Authority. The Ministry has indicated that the quantum of power to be exported from January 2027 onward will be reassessed in December this year, keeping the arrangement flexible as ground conditions in Nepal evolve.
The decision comes against the backdrop of severe flooding that has battered large parts of Nepal in recent weeks, causing extensive damage to hydropower generation assets and sharply reducing the country’s domestic electricity output. With Nepal’s own generation capacity constrained at a time of heightened demand, the shortfall has created significant pressure on its power grid, prompting Kathmandu to seek additional supply from India under the two countries’ long-standing cross-border energy cooperation framework.
India’s willingness to step in reflects the deepening energy partnership between the two neighbours, which has grown steadily over the past decade through cross-border transmission links, joint hydropower projects and coordinated grid management. The Ministry of Power’s statement emphasised that the export arrangement is intended not merely as an emergency stopgap but as a reflection of India’s broader commitment to supporting Nepal’s development and energy security.
Officials familiar with the matter noted that the transmission corridors being used, particularly the Muzaffarpur–Dhalkebar line, have historically served as the backbone of India-Nepal power trade, and the current arrangement is expected to ease pressure on Nepali households, industries and hospitals that rely on uninterrupted electricity during the ongoing recovery period. The review scheduled for December will allow both sides to recalibrate supply volumes based on how quickly Nepal’s domestic hydropower capacity is restored.
The episode underscores the strategic importance of regional energy interconnectivity in South Asia, where climate-linked disruptions are increasingly testing the resilience of national power systems and pushing neighbouring countries toward closer grid integration.
