Kathmandu: After negotiations for long, India finally has allowed Nepal to export 325 megawatt of power to the Indian market at a competitive rate.

Given the approval from the Central Electricity Authority of India, Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) would export additional 325 MW of hydroelectricity into the Indian energy market. Earlier in November 2021, India had given approval for the export of 39 MW of power in the Indian Energy Exchange generated from NEA in Nuwakot district.

In the second phase, Nepal received approval to export 326 MW hydroelectricity power produced from Kaligandaki ‘A’ (144 MW), Mid-Marsyangdi (68 MW), Marsyangdi (67 MW) and Likhu-IV (51 MW), Managing Director of NEA Kulman Ghising said.

With this, the NEA has got a nod to export the power to India by considering source to the electricity produced from six hydropower projects. The surplus power would be exported via Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur 400 kV cross-border transmission line.

Organizing a news conference in the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation on Wednesday, Minister for Energy Pampha Bhusal said the export of surplus power to India would help make a positive contribution to the economy by reducing Nepal’s trade deficit. Bhusal said India’s decision to purchase Nepal’s surplus power is positive. “We are in need of a big market. From this, additional markets are now expanded,” she said.