Kathmandu—In the first half of fiscal year 2025‑26, Nepal has sold electricity worth about NPR 15 billion (roughly INR 9.37 billion) to neighbouring countries. The bulk of the sales came from around 1,000 MW of power, mostly to India and a smaller share to Bangladesh.
Minister for Energy Kul Man Ghising briefed the press after visiting the Load Dispatch Centre of the state‑owned Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA). He highlighted that, even after recent floods and landslides damaged some hydropower plants, the country has kept its export streams steady.
NEA sells excess power to India through two main channels. First, the Indian Energy Exchange (IEX) handles day‑ahead and real‑time transactions at competitive rates. Second, bilateral contracts with Indian states such as Haryana and Bihar secure medium‑term sales. A total of 40 MW is also pumped across India’s grid and sold to Bangladesh, with that trade priced in U.S. dollars.
The NEA is licensed to export 1,165 MW to both countries. Although the Indian market has faced lower prices this year, the quantity of power shipped is expected to rise as the export season progresses. NEA spokesperson Rajan Dhakal noted that the overall earnings for the season might be lower, but total exports in volume will grow.
Looking back, Nepal earned NPR 17.5 billion from electricity exports in fiscal year 2024‑25, according to NEA data. Despite damage to fifteen hydropower sites—seven operational and eight under construction, totaling 338 MW—the supply to India and Bangladesh remained untouchable.
The country’s private‑sector developers, represented by the Independent Power Producers’ Association, said a total of 32 hydropower projects were affected by floods. Of these, 180 MW of operational plants and 338 MW of projects in development were hit. Dhakal added that this loss is not large enough to hamper export ambitions, especially as domestic demand dips during the festive season.
Long‑term goals remain ambitious: Nepal aims to generate 28,500 MW of power by 2035 and export 15,000 MW. In January 2024, a ten‑year power trade pact was signed with India, obligating the Indian market to purchase 10,000 MW from Nepali plants. As Nepali hydropower capacity nears 4,000 MW today, the electricity export sector looks set to grow further, bringing steady foreign earnings to the Himalayan republic.
Source: ianslive
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