NEA earns Rs 5.43 billion in two months by exporting hydropower to India

KATHMANDU: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) exported hydropower worth Rs 5.43 billion to India in the first two months of the current fiscal year.

According to data released by the NEA on Thursday, the state-owned company exported energy worth Rs 1.94 billion in the first month ending mid-August, and Rs 3.48 billion in the second month ending mid-September. NEA sold the energy at an average rate of Rs 8.13 per unit.

NEA has been saying that it has been selling surplus energy in the Indian market. Although different parts of the country are seeing unscheduled power cuts, NEA has been maintaining that supply disruption is due to problems in distribution infrastructure and not due to exports to India.

India, a fortnight ago, said it would buy an additional 180 MW of hydropower from India. This means NEA can now export up to 632 MW to the Indian market. Out of the 180 MW allowed to be exported to India, 70 MW will be exported via the Mahendranagar-Tanakpur 132 kV transmission line, while 110 MW will be exported via the Dhalkebar-Muzzafarpur 400 kV transmission line.

In the fiscal year 2022/23, NEA earned Rs 10.45 billion by exporting hydropower to India.