KATHMANDU: Nepal and India have agreed on the construction modalities for cross-border transmission lines, paving the way for exporting 15,000 MW of electricity from Nepal to India and Bangladesh by 2035.
The agreement was reached at a secretary-level meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday, where Nepal’s Energy Secretary Suresh Acharya and India’s Power Secretary Pankaj Agrawal signed a memorandum of understanding.
As part of the agreement, two 400 kV transmission lines—from Inaruwa (Nepal) to Purnia (India) and Dodhara (Nepal) to Bareilly (India)—will be completed by 2030.
The transmission infrastructure will be developed through joint companies, with Nepal Electricity Authority and India’s Power Grid Corporation holding majority stakes on their respective sides.
Additionally, the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Chameliya-Jaulljivi 220 kV double circuit transmission line will be completed by 2025, and the capacity of the Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur transmission line will be upgraded from 800 MW to 1,000 MW.
The 400 kV Nijgadh-Motihari and Kohalpur-Lucknow transmission lines are set for completion by 2035.
The agreement builds on Nepal and India’s long-term power trade deal to export 10,000 MW of electricity within a decade, with Nepal already exporting 40 MW to Bangladesh.
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