Kathmandu. In the last fiscal year 080/81, Nepal has exported electricity worth 16.93 billion rupees to India. Nepal Electricity Authority exported 1.94 billion 2.6 million units of electricity to India from July to June last year and earned 16.93 billion 2.6 million rupees.
The Authority is selling the surplus electricity consumed within the country to the Indian company NTPC at a competitive rate in the day-ahead and real-time market of the Indian Energy Exchange (IX) and according to the mid-term electricity agreement to the Indian company NTPC. NVVN is selling the electricity in the state of Haryana. The average price of exported electricity is 8 rupees 72 paisa per unit.
The Authority has imported electricity worth 16.81 billion three lakh rupees in the last fiscal year. During the dry season, the flow of water in the rivers and streams decreases and the production from the river-flowing hydropower plants in the country decreases. Last year, one billion 833 million units of electricity was imported from India to meet the demand. The average rate of imported electricity in winter is 9 rupees 17 paisa per unit.
Last year, more electricity worth Rs. 122.23 million was exported to India than imported. Likewise, on the basis of energy, 100.91 million units of electricity were exported more than imported. Nepal has become a net exporter of electricity within three years of entering the Indian competitive market, as the amount of exports is more than the imports.
In the year 079/80, electricity was imported from India worth 19 billion 444 million rupees and exported 10.45 billion rupees. Kulman Ghising, the executive director of the authority, said that even though electricity has to be imported to manage the domestic demand for the winter months in the next few years, the export volume will increase now.
Till 6/7 years ago, we were only an importer of electricity, although we started exporting electricity to the Indian competitive market 3 years ago, we were becoming a net importer, now we have become a net importer from last year. Although we are net exporters in small quantities, this is an important achievement, a milestone for the energy sector,” said Executive Director Ghising.
Nepal got entry to the day-ahead market of India’s Energy Exchange on May 1, 2021. Initially, Nepal, which was allowed to import electricity, was also admitted as an exporter on November 3, 2021. Currently, Nepal is selling about 700 megawatts of electricity to India in medium term, day ahead and real time market. The Authority has received permission to export 690 MW of electricity produced by 16 projects.
Executive Director Ghising mentioned that according to the mid-term agreement, an additional 400 megawatts of electricity is in the process of being granted export permission. “We are in the process of getting permission from the relevant bodies of India to export 400 MW of electricity to Haryana and Bihar. We are also exporting 40 MW from this year after signing an agreement with Bangladesh,” Ghising said.