Electricity worth nearly Rs 2 billion has been exported to India in the first month of the current fiscal year 2022/23. Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has exported electricity worth Rs 1.84 billion in the one month period from mid-July to mid-August of the current FY.

The NEA has exported 240.27 million units of electricity to India, which is more than consumed in the country. The authority has managed to earn an average of 59.3 million rupees per day in mid-July from electricity export.

According to NEA, it started selling surplus electricity in the day-ahead market of Indian Energy Exchange Limited (IX) at competitive rates from June 2.

In the beginning, 39 megawatts of electricity produced by two power plants was considered as a source and was sold to IX on a daily basis. Since then, from June 10, 364 megawatts of electricity produced by six hydropower plants have been sold daily in the Indian market at a competitive rate.

In IX, 24 hours are divided into 96 blocks of 15-15 minutes and electricity is traded at a competitive rate set by the market. Therefore, the price of each block is different.

In the last FY 2021/22, electricity worth Rs 3.89 billion was exported. Electricity is being exported through the Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur 400 KV international transmission line. Last year, the authority's solar plant, upper Tamakoshi and private sector hydropower and solar projects added a total of 735 MWs to the national grid.

Along with this, the NEA's Managing Director Kulman Ghising said that since it is possible to produce more electricity than the domestic demand during the rainy season, it has succeeded in selling electricity through competition in the Indian market. "Due to the increase in electricity exports, the financial condition of the NEA has improved, and the foreign exchange reserves of our country have increased. This has also supported the national economy and helped to reduce the trade deficit between the two countries," said Ghising.

"As electricity production in the country is increasing day by day, it is necessary to increase household and industrial consumption as well. For this, development and improvement of transmission and distribution lines will be arranged as well as arrangements will be made for industrialists to get special services and facilities."

An additional 111 MW export proposal

NEA has offered to sell an additional 111 megawatts of monsoon electricity consumed domestically in the day-ahead market of the Indian Energy Exchange Limited (IX) through competition.

The authority has submitted a proposal to the Central Electricity Authority under the Ministry of Power of the Government of India for the sale of the electricity produced by four hydropower plants through competition to IX as a source. After getting permission from the Central Electricity Authority, more power exports will start.

The authority has submitted a proposal for export of 111.8 megawatts of electricity produced from 42 megawatts Mistrikhola, 24.2MW Likhukhola 'A', 23.5 MW Solukhola, and 22.1MW Chilime power plant.

MD Ghising expressed confidence that permission will soon be obtained from the Government of India for the export of more electricity.