Nepal urge India to buy 853 MW of electricity produced by 8 projects

KATHMANDU: Nepal has sent proposal to India to buy 853 MW of electricity produced by 8 different hydropower projects. Nepal has proposed to sell its surplus electricitu in India’s Power Exchange market. However, India has only approved 2 project of 39 MW though Nepal had requested 6 projects of 814 MW capacity.

“We had informed India that we will soon be able to sell electricity of 8 projects in the cominh year and provide approval for the same”, said Suresh Bhattarai, spokesperson of NEA, he further added, ” We had proposed to sell 856 MW of Upper Tamakoshi, 144 MW of Kaligandaki, 61 MW of Marsyangdhi, 70 MW of Mid- Marsyangdhi, 45 MW of Upper Bhotekoshi, but its yet to be approved.”

India has only approved Trishuli of 24 MW and Devighat of 15 MW till now. But even after the approval it has to be renewed as per the agreement informed NEA.

NEA informed that it would auction 800 MW of electricity and also involve private sector but its transmission is still not possible. Even if NEA gets approval to sell electricity from all 8 projects but their is not possible. Because the transmission line used by Nepal at present to sell electricity which is Dhalkebar – Muzzafarpur transmission line of 400 KV can only transfer maximum of 600 MW electricity. Nepal has capacity to sell the electricity but NEA itself is not clear whether they have capacity to send through transmission line or not.

Kulman Ghising, Executive Director of NEA said,” We cannot be fully sure whether India will buy electricity from all the proposed projects or not. We do not know which project will be approved by India.”

“Not only these but we are also planning to send proposal to sell electricity of other projects too”, Ghising said,” We are planning to send proposals of Likhu, Projects of Tamakoshi Corridor, and some private sectors too. I feel this time we should be allowed to sell 600 MW electricity.” India also watches over the the involvement of third countries while buying electricity from the Project.

Ghising said it is possible to send the additional 600 MW electricity through Dhalkebar – Muzzafarpur inter-country transmission line. Making Dhalkebar substation capacity a reasom only 600 MW has been approved. He further added soon after Jhanruwa – Dhalkebar – Hetauda 400 KV gets charged capacity of East- West transmission line can also be increased. There are 6 inter connected small transmission line between Nepal and India. But the electricity sent by those transmission line has not been approved to be sold in Exchange Market. For that we need separte approval from the States government of India. There are 6 transmission line connected to Bihar. Likewise, another line is in Tanakpur. But only after the approval from State we can send it to the Central Grid he said.

For the trade of electricity between India and Nepal, we had proposed for the construction of another 400 KV inter-country transmission line New Butwal – Gorakhpur, but still the matter hasn’t been solved yet. For the construction, a joint venture of both the countries should be established. But still, India hasn’t still provided its consent for it. At present, Nepal has only been selling electricity to Bihar state. But both the countries has begun their procedures for selling electricity through Manaiya-Sampattiya 132 KV transmission line informed NEA.

India’s policy to look after investment if Third country in the project

India has opted for the policy of not buying electricity from the project where another country has done investment. Nepal had sent proposal to sell electricity from the projects like Upper Tamakoshi, Marsyangdhi and Upper Bhotekoshi but India had turned it down.

On November 16, Energy Secretary Chief Devendra Karki and NEA Executive Director Kulman Ghising had met Alok Kumar, Chief Secretary of Electricity Ministry of India and clarified that there was no involvement of other countries in the projects. And these projects clearly stands on every standard set by India. Because non of the projects touching the Indian border involves any kind of direct investment or any form loans in these projects.

Meanwhile, Nepal has sent proposal of selling electricity from projects like Kaligandaki, Mid-Marsyangdhi projects to India. Though India has not approved any of them. NEA has submitted all the details related to investment and construction of the proposed projects informed NEA.