Hydel Plant In Nepal Feeding Power To India Among Several Units Hit, Pg1

Key Highlights:

• Flash floods on August 26, 2026, in Nepal severely damaged multiple hydropower plants, including those supplying electricity to India.
• Nepal's power supply to India was halved from approximately 800 megawatts (MW) to 400 MW following the disaster.
• The 14-MW Devighat hydropower plant, a joint project with India, was among the affected units.
• Around 13 hydropower plants and one solar plant, totaling approximately 239 MW of operational capacity, were impacted.
• Major under-construction hydropower projects like Upper Trishul-1 (216 MW) and Rasuwagadhi (111 MW) in Rasuwa district also sustained damage.

Detailed Insights:

• The flash floods primarily impacted Nepal's Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts, critical regions for hydropower generation.
• The Trisuli Hydropower Station (24 MW) and Chilime Hydropower Plant (22.1 MW), which also supply power to Bangladesh, were affected.
• The disaster highlights the vulnerability of Nepal's energy infrastructure to natural calamities, especially during the monsoon season.
• India and Nepal have a Power Trade Agreement (PTA) of 2014 and a long-term deal signed in 2024 to boost cross-border electricity trade.
• The incident underscores the importance of resilient energy infrastructure for regional energy security and trade commitments.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Hydropower: Electricity generated by harnessing the energy of flowing or falling water.
• Energy Security: Uninterrupted availability of energy sources at an affordable price.
• Cross-border Electricity Trade: Exchange of electricity between two or more countries, often facilitated by bilateral agreements.
• Grid India: The entity responsible for operating India's national electricity grid and facilitating power market operations.