Nepal and India have agreed to significantly increase the import-export capacity of electricity by expanding the cross-border transmission line. The 13th meeting of the Nepal-India Energy Secretary-level Joint Steering Committee (JSC) held in Pokhara has decided to increase the capacity of the combined electricity flow through 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 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, decided to increase the import capacity of the combined electricity flow through the currently operating Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur 400 kV transmission line and the proposed Dhalkebar-Sitamarhi 400 kV line from 1,000 MW to 1,400 MW and the export capacity from 1,100 MW to 1,650 MW.

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

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 to establish a joint venture company to accelerate 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 the Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur 400 kV transmission line using HTLS conductors has also been approved. The Lucknow-Kohalpur/Lamhi 400 kV transmission line will be decided after further technical study. The meeting has also 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 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 time. The decisions taken by the meeting were made on the basis of the recommendations of the Joint Working Group (JWG) meeting held in Pokhara on Tuesday under the co-chairmanship of Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Energy Sandeep Kumar Dev and Joint Secretary (Broadcasting) of the Ministry of Power of India Pankaj Kumar.

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.