Nepal, India rush to wire up for massive power deal
Nepal and India have reached agreements to boost electricity trading between the two nations and accelerate the development of power transmission infrastructure during talks held in Pokhara. The 17th Joint Technical Team meeting brought together energy officials from both countries on Monday and Tuesday to discuss several projects aimed at expanding cross-border electrical capacity.
Among the key decisions, both governments will jointly develop plans for a 220 kV transmission line connecting Chameliya and Jauljibi by next November, with construction targeted for completion in December 2027. Officials also confirmed that the Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur and Dhalkebar-Sitamarhi lines can each handle 1,500 MW for exports and 1,400 MW for imports, representing increases from the original 1,000 MW design. The Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur route remains the sole operational 400 kV connection between the countries, while the Sitamarhi project nears completion.
Additional projects under discussion involve transmission lines linking Nijgadh with Motihari and Lamahi with Lucknow. Nepal exports approximately 1,000 MW of power to India currently, with plans to reach 10,000 MW within a decade through expanded infrastructure. Sandeep Kumar Dev and Bhagwan Sahay Bhairwa co-chaired the discussions.
