India clears Nepal’s 98 MW power export bottleneck as monsoon surplus peaks

India has renewed export approvals for four Nepali hydropower projects just as Nepal enters the peak period for monsoon electricity generation, allowing the country to sell a combined 98 MW of power to India.

The approvals cover the 38.8 MW Upper Chameliya, 24.25 MW Seti River, 10.7 MW Upper Tadi Khola and 24.25 MW Upper Dordi A projects, The Kathmandu Post reported.

The Nepal Electricity Authority said India informed it last week that the approvals had been renewed. The approval for Upper Chameliya had expired in June, while those for Seti River and Upper Tadi Khola expired on July 31. The approval for Upper Dordi A expired in August.

The delays had raised concerns that Nepal could lose part of its peak monsoon export window. Hydropower generation rises sharply during the rainy season as river flows increase, allowing Nepal to sell surplus electricity after meeting domestic demand.

Nepal is currently exporting an average of about 600 MW of electricity to India each day, according to the NEA. India has so far authorised Nepal to export power generated by 37 hydropower projects with a combined capacity of about 1,200 MW.

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The renewals come after India extended Nepal’s permission to import up to 654 MW of electricity through the 400-kV Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur and 132-kV Tanakpur-Mahendranagar transmission lines through January. The export approvals for the four projects had remained pending.

Nepal exports surplus power to India and Bangladesh during the monsoon but imports electricity from India during the dry winter months when hydropower generation falls.

Flood damage hits exports

Nepal’s export capacity has also been hit by recent floods. Flooding in the Bhotekoshi River damaged the Trishuli and Chilime hydropower projects, halting Nepal’s electricity exports to Bangladesh.

The NEA said 431.1 MW of hydropower generation capacity has stopped operating because of flood-related damage. The 14.55 MW Devighat project was also damaged.

The NEA has sought approval to sell power from the Lower Modi project in India’s bilateral market as a replacement. Lower Modi already has approval to sell electricity through the Indian Energy Exchange, but bilateral approval is still pending.

India has also yet to approve the sale in Bangladesh of electricity from the Kabeli B-1 and Solu Khola projects.