Nepal Urges India to Expedite Implementation of Power Trade Agreement
11 March 2020
In a meeting, Mr. Barsha Man Pun, Nepal Minister for Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation, urged Mr. Sanjiv Nandan Sahai, India Power Secretary, to accelerate power trade between India and Nepal.
The Central Electricity Authority of India (CEA) and the Nepal Electricity Authority has an existing power trade agreement. A go ahead from the Power Ministry of India will allow the CEA to carry out measures necessary to accelerate power trade with Nepal.
Mr. Sahai assured Nepal that India will facilitate the process to initiate power trade between the two nations soon. He reiterated India’s plans to import electricity in the near future.
The meeting also discussed the 400 kilovolt ampere Butwal-Gorakhpur cross-border transmission line, which both countries planned to construct a joint venture. Mr. Sahai expressed optimism that construction of the cross-border transmission line will proceed soon.
Mr. Pun also shared that Nepal began generating electricity from the 1,200-megawatt Budhi Gandaki, 765MW Tamor reservoir, and 635MW Dudh Koshi. These dams would also help promote flood control, provide irrigation, drinking water, and water transport. Mr. Pun proposed bilateral cooperation on these aspects. He encouraged the Government of India and the private sector to take advantage of the conducive environment for foreign investment created by the Government of Nepal, particularly in hydropower projects.
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