KATHMANDU: Nepal has exported electricity worth 13.04 billion rupees to India in the first five months of the current fiscal year 2081/82.
According to the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), 1.76 billion units of surplus electricity generated during the monsoon season were exported to India between Shrawan and Mangsir.
The average selling price was 7.39 rupees per unit.
NEA exported electricity through competitive pricing at the Indian Energy Exchange (IEX) and via bilateral medium-term agreements with Haryana and Bihar states.
The transactions are conducted in Indian Rupees, earning the NEA INR 8.15 billion during the period.
The month-wise export values reveal that Shrawan saw the highest exports at 4.15 billion rupees, with an average price of 8.35 rupees per unit.
In Bhadra, the export value reached 3.68 billion rupees, with an average price of 6.70 rupees per unit.
Ashwin recorded 3.07 billion rupees in exports at an average of 8.50 rupees per unit, while Kartik saw a significant drop to 1.87 billion rupees at an average price of 6.29 rupees per unit.
Mangsir reported the lowest export value of 0.28 billion rupees, with the average price dipping to 4.64 rupees per unit.
NEA Executive Director Kulman Ghising highlighted that floods and landslides in October disrupted the Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Plant, which has a capacity of 456 MW.
This significantly impacted exports, as production was affected.
With the onset of winter and reduced water flow in rivers, electricity imports began earlier than expected to meet domestic demand.
Exports to India have currently ceased due to reduced production during the dry season.
However, hydropower production is expected to increase once water levels in rivers rise again.
Nepal has also begun exporting 40 MW of electricity to Bangladesh through India, marking a new milestone in its electricity trade.
Despite challenges, NEA had set an ambitious target of exporting electricity worth 30 billionrupees in this fiscal year.
However, the floods that caused damage to hydropower plants and transmission lines might affect this goal.
The Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Plant is expected to resume operations by Poush 10, and the Kabeli Corridor transmission line has already been restored.
In the previous fiscal year, Nepal exported electricity worth 17.06 billion rupees while importing 16.93 billion rupees, achieving the status of a net electricity exporter.
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