India Approves 18-Hour Power Supply to Nepal Amid Hydropower Losses, Pg15

Key Highlights:

• India's Ministry of Power approved Nepal's request to import electricity from September 13 to December 31, 2026.
• The approval allows for the export of up to 654 MW for 18 hours daily, from midnight to 6 PM.
• This measure aims to mitigate Nepal's power generation shortfall caused by recent floods that damaged hydropower infrastructure.
• The power will be supplied primarily through the Muzaffarpur-Dhalkebar 400 kV line (600 MW) and the Tanakpur-Mahendranagar 132 kV line (54 MW).
• The quantum of power export for January 2027 onwards will be reviewed in December 2026.

Detailed Insights:

• Nepal's request for early power import came in August, earlier than the usual October, due to devastating flash floods on August 26.
• The floods damaged 13 hydropower plants and a solar plant, reducing Nepal's domestic generation capacity by approximately 550 MW.
• This reduction also decreased Nepal's cross-border power export to India by nearly 400 MW from previous peak levels.
• India's decision to export during solar-generation hours leverages its comfortable day-time power availability due to expanded solar capacity.
• India's power system faces tighter supply conditions during evening and night as solar generation declines, exacerbated by a surge in demand.
• Peak power demand in India reached 269 GW on September 10, 2026, the highest ever recorded for the month.
• To bridge night-time shortfalls, India relies on expensive gas-based power and near-maximum operation of coal-fired power plants.
• Electricity generation from gas-based plants increased by 80.32% and coal-based generation by 25.30% during September 1-9, 2026, compared to the previous year.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Megawatt (MW): A unit of power, commonly used to measure the output of power plants.
• Gigawatt (GW): A larger unit of power, equal to 1,000 megawatts, often used for national grid capacity.
• Hydropower: Electricity generated by harnessing the energy of flowing or falling water.
• Grid India: The national grid operator responsible for managing India's electricity transmission system.