Despite Flood, Nepal Stepped Up Power Exports to India, Pg17

Key Highlights:

• Despite flash floods in August, Nepal exported electricity worth over Rs 725 crore to India between August 27 and October 27.
• During this two-month period, Nepal exported approximately 1,262 million units (MU) of electricity to India.
• The floods damaged several hydropower projects, including the 14-MW Devighat hydropower plant, and disrupted electricity evacuation.
• The Union Ministry of Power had previously approved Nepal's request for early electricity imports from India due to flood-induced generation capacity reduction.
• Nepal's sustained exports are primarily attributed to its seasonal surplus generation during the monsoon period.

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Detailed Insights:

• The floods, which occurred on August 26, affected 13 hydropower plants and a solar power plant in Nepal.
• Around 430 MW of electricity generation capacity was disrupted due to damaged transmission lines, with 74 MW directly damaged.
• Electricity trade between Nepal and India is seasonal, with Nepal exporting surplus power during the monsoon and importing during dry winter months.
• The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) confirmed that Nepal applied for approval to export electricity from additional projects shortly after the floods.
• Indian government officials also suggest that a decline in Nepal's domestic electricity demand following flood damage to infrastructure might have contributed to the exportable surplus.
• Nepal's earnings from electricity exports significantly increased from Nepalese Rupee (NPR) 17.47 billion in 2024-25 to NPR 29.3 billion in 2025-26.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Hydropower: Electricity generated by harnessing the kinetic energy of flowing or falling water.
• Seasonal Surplus: A period when electricity generation significantly exceeds domestic demand, often due to natural factors like monsoon-fed rivers for hydropower.
• Power Evacuation: The process of transmitting generated electricity from power plants to the main grid and consumption centers.