Work plan ready for power export to India: PM Oli

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has informed the lawmakers that government had readied roadmap and work plan to export 10,000 MW electricity to India.

In response to the lawmakers’ queries in the House of Representatives on Thursday, the Prime Minister said the roadmap and work plan, 2080 was prepared as per long-term power trade agreement.

The roadmap has mentioned that around 13,500 MW electricity would be consumed internally and some 15,000 MW exported to India and Bangladesh by the fiscal year, 2091/92.

The PM further said government had made plan to reach Nepal’s total power production capacity to Rs 28,000 MW by that time. The roadmap and work plan were already presented in the Council of Ministers.

Currently, Nepal’s power production capacity is around 3,240 MW.

PM Oli shared further information on the ongoing process of power exports and projection of power productions. Various high voltage inter-state transmission lines were being developed for the power trade of as much as 10,000 MW with India in coming 10 years.

The hydropower projects promoted by India in Nepal are estimated to have the production of 3,679 MW electricity. Similarly, the projects which are under the process for agreement are expected to produce 5,648 MW electricity. The mega projects to be run under the government ownership and for which feasibility study has been conducted are projected to produce the 4,431 MW electricity.

“The first Nepal-India interstate transmission line, Dhalkebar-Mujaffarpur of 400 KV, is in operation since 2016. The Arun-III hydropower is being promoted by an Indian company, while Dhalkebar-Sitamadhi 400 KV interstate electricity transmission line is aimed at being completed within this year”.

The PM also shared other under-construction power projects including Butwal-Gorakhpur 400 KV transmission line with the capacity of 2,500 MW, and those under implementation like Inaruwa-Poornia 400 KV transmission line with the capacity of 2,500 MW, and Lamki-Bareli.

“Nepal’s internal power transmission system need to be robust and capable to ensure 10,000 MW power export to India via Nepal-India interstate power transmission lines,” he underlined. For it, Hetauda-Dhalkebar-Inaruwa 400KV transmission line was in final stage.

The construction of the Lapsiphedi-Ratmate-New Hetauda and Ratmate-New Damauli-New Butwal 400KV electricity transmission line will begin soon.

Also shared information by the PM about electricity production were Khimti-Bahrabise-Kathmandu 400KV, Marsyangdi corridor 220 KV, Chilime-Trishuli 220KV.

“The power trade agreement between Nepal and Bangladesh was scheduled for signing on July 28, which however was postponed at the last minute due to recent unrests in Bangladesh,” PM Oli informed.

In view of the formation of an interim government in Bangladesh, the Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation are taking initiatives for signing the agreement at the earliest, the PM added.

Nepal is going to start by exporting 40MW electricity to Bangladesh in the first phase.