Mumbai, Oct. 29 -- Nepal exported electricity worth more than USD 39 mn to India between mid-September and mid-October, as cross-border power trading recovered after flash floods disrupted generation and transmission infrastructure in August. The exports were reported by local media, citing Nepal Electricity Authority Executive Director Dirghayu Kumar Shrestha.
Shrestha said the supply had been briefly disrupted after an ice-rock avalanche in the high Himalayas near the Nepal-Tibet border triggered flash floods on August 26. The disaster devastated towns and villages across northern and central Nepal, killing around 1,400 people, while more than 5,000 people remained missing.
The floods damaged homes, vehicles, roads, bridges and hydropower projects. Damage to power infrastructure affected Nepal's ability to maintain electricity supplies and temporarily interrupted exports to neighbouring countries.
Nearly two-thirds of Nepal's cross-border electricity supply to India during the period was exported under bilateral agreements, according to the NEA executive director. The figure underscores India's role as the principal market and transmission partner for Nepal's surplus power during the post-flood recovery period.
Nepal also resumed exporting 40 MW of electricity to Bangladesh through India's transmission network on Friday. The supply had been halted after the Bhotekoshi flash floods damaged the Trishuli and Chilime hydropower plants, which had been designated to provide electricity to Bangladesh.
The resumption of the Bangladesh supply followed restoration efforts at the affected facilities and transmission links. Nepal's renewed exports to India and Bangladesh indicate a gradual recovery in regional electricity trade, although the condition of hydropower assets and related infrastructure remains linked to the pace of reconstruction after the floods.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Construction World.