Nepal and India have agreed to increase the electricity import capacity to 1,530 megawatts and export capacity to 1,850 megawatts through cross-border transmission lines. The agreement was reached at the 13th meeting of the Nepal-India Energy Secretary-level Joint Steering Committee (JSC) held in Pokhara on Wednesday under the co-chairmanship of Sarita Dawadi, Secretary, Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Government of Nepal, and Pankaj Agrawal, Secretary, Ministry of Power, Government of India.

Nepal and India have also agreed to increase the electricity import capacity to 1,400 MW and export capacity to 1,650 MW through the Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur and the under-construction Dhalkebar-Sitamarhi 400 kV transmission lines. It has been agreed that up to 130 MW of electricity can be imported and up to 200 MW can be exported from the new Butwal-Gorakhpur cross-border transmission line under construction in the initial phase.

Nepal and India have agreed to significantly increase the electricity import-export capacity by expanding the cross-border transmission line. The meeting decided to increase the capacity of the combined electricity flow from the Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur transmission line, approve the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the cross-border transmission lines and proceed with the construction process.

The meeting approved the DPR of the Chameliya (Nepal)-Jauljivi (India) 220 kV double circuit cross-border transmission line. The project is targeted to be completed by December 2028.

The meeting also discussed India's approval for an additional 20 MW of electricity export from Nepal to Bangladesh. Nepal has requested that an additional 20 MW of electricity be exported through the Behrampur-Bhedamara 400 kV transmission line between India and Bangladesh or through other Indian transmission lines connected to Bangladesh.

However, an official present at the meeting said that India informed that an additional 20 MW of electricity flow is not possible immediately as the capacity of the Behrampur-Bhedamara transmission line is limited. 'India has stated that it will study the possibility of exporting through this or other transmission lines.' Therefore, despite discussions on this issue, no decision could be taken,' the official said.

The Nepal Electricity Authority had sent a formal request to NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Limited (NVVN) for an additional 20 MW of electricity export, but it said that the transmission line lacks capacity.

Nepal Electricity Authority and Power Grid Corporation of India have already signed a Shareholders Agreement (SHA) and Joint Venture (JV) agreement for the construction of Inaruwa-New Purnia and Dodhodhara (New Lamki)-Bareilly 400 kV cross-border transmission lines, and now it has been agreed in the meeting to establish a joint venture company to speed up the construction process.

The DPR of Motihari-Nijgadh 400 kV double circuit transmission line has been approved. The proposal to expand the capacity (reconductoring) of Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur 400 kV transmission line using HTLS conductors has also been approved. A decision on the Lucknow-Kohalpur/Lamki 400 kV transmission line will be taken after further technical study.

The meeting has reached a technical agreement to operate the new Butwal-Gorakhpur 400 kV cross-border transmission line under construction at 220 kV until the construction of the new Butwal 400 kV substation in Nepal is completed. The transmission line on the Nepal side is expected to be completed by next August and the substation is expected to be ready by December 2027. It has been decided to move forward with the work so that up to 130 MW of electricity can be imported and up to 200 MW of electricity can be exported through the line by that period.