Kathmandu
Nepal has made history by exporting 40 megawatts (MW) of electricity to Bangladesh for the first time, marking a significant milestone in regional energy trade. The power was transmitted through an Indian transmission line at around 1 pm local time on Friday, as part of a tripartite agreement between Nepal, India, and Bangladesh.
This agreement, signed on October 3, 2024, outlines that Nepal will export 40 MW of electricity to Bangladesh during the rainy season, from June 15 to November 15, for the next five years. The electricity will be transmitted through India’s 400-kV Muzaffarpur-Beharampur-Bhedamara transmission line.
Chandan Ghosh, spokesperson for the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), described the event as a “historic occasion,” noting that it has overcome diplomatic, economic, and technical barriers to electricity trade with a country beyond Nepal’s immediate borders. The power exported on Friday came from Nepal’s 25 MW Trishuli and 22 MW Chilime hydropower plants.
Although this first export was a one-time event, the continuous export will begin on June 15, 2025. The agreement also involves India’s NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Limited and the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB).
The export had been delayed due to political unrest in Bangladesh, but now, with the agreement in place, Nepal is set to expand its role as an electricity exporter in the region.