Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: Nepal and India have agreed to trade an additional 200 MW from the 400 kV Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur Transmission Line. This means the two countries can now import and export up to 800 MW from the cross-border transmission line.
The 10th meeting of the energy secretary-level Joint Steering Committee held in India took the decision to this end on Saturday. Important understandings were reached in energy trade, existing, under-construction, and proposed transmission lines during the meeting.
Similarly, the two sides have agreed to trade up to 80 MW from the 132 kV Mahendragarh-Tanakpur Transmission Line. Likewise, the two sides have agreed to commission a study to study the feasibility of trading 200 MW from the transmission line.
Meanwhile, India has become positive about importing electricity generated by other hydroelectric projects. “India is positive on Nepal’s proposal to sign inter-governmental agreements for the export of electricity generated by different projects of Nepal,” said Madhu Prasad Bhetwal, a joint secretary at the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation. “India is also positive to permit the import of 50 MW of electricity from Nepal by Bangladesh if a proposal is made specifying the name of the project.”
Nepal and India have also agreed to put in place the necessary mechanism to facilitate the export of electricity to Bihar state of India using transmission lines of 132 kV or lower capacity.
According to Bhetwal, Nepal and India have agreed to build two more 400 kV trans-border transmission lines. The two sides have agreed to complete the Inaruwa-Purnia and New Lamki-Baraily transmission lines by 2027/28 and 2028/29, respectively.
