India and Nepal power regional energy integration in South Asia

KATHMANDU: Officials of Nepal and India have agreed to enhance cross-border electricity exchange and strengthen transmission infrastructure by expediting work on several existing and planned transmission line projects.

During the 17th meeting of the Joint Technical Team (JTT) under the energy (power) ministries of both countries, held in the western tourist city of Pokhara on Monday and Tuesday, the two sides discussed electricity trade, construction of new cross-border transmission lines, and strengthening of the transmission system, reaching several key understandings.

According to a press statement issued by Nepal's Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation on Wednesday, both countries agreed to prepare a joint Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the proposed Chameliya-Jauljibi 220 kV double-circuit cross-border transmission line by November 2025, with the project expected to be completed by December 2027. The proposed line will connect Nepal's far-western region with India's Uttarakhand state.

Similarly, the two countries agreed to operate the under-construction New Butwal-Gorakhpur 400 kV cross-border transmission line at 220 kV initially once it is completed. To finalise the import and export capacity of this line, a meeting will be held with the Uttar Pradesh Transmission Company within 15 days. Nepali officials said construction work on both sides of the border has accelerated in recent months. The project was jointly inaugurated during Nepal's former Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal a.k.a. Prachanda's visit to India in May-June 2023, as the head of the Nepali government.

The two sides also reassessed the power exchange capacity of the Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur and under-construction Dhalkebar-Sitamarhi cross-border transmission lines, confirming that Nepal can export up to 1500 MW and import up to 1400 MW of electricity through each of them. Both projects were initially designed to handle 1000 MW. Currently, the Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur line is the only operational 400 kV cross-border transmission line between Nepal and India, though there are about a dozen smaller cross-border power links.

Construction of the Dhalkebar-Sitamarhi line is nearing completion. The project is being developed by SJVN Arun-3 Power Development Company, a subsidiary of India's SJVN Limited, which is also developing the 900 MW Arun-3 Hydropower Project in eastern Nepal.

As per the latest understanding, Nepal will provide the necessary technical details within a month for preparing the DPR of the proposed Nijgadh-Motihari 400 kV cross-border transmission line, which will be prepared jointly by a technical team from both countries. Similarly, a Joint Study Team will determine the final termination point of the proposed Lamahi-Lucknow 400 kV line on the Nepali side - either Lamahi or Kohalpur, two towns in Dang and Banke districts respectively - and prepare the DPR. (IANS)

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