Kathmandu, Aug 19: Nepal is set to export an additional 251 megawatts (MW) of electricity to the Indian states of Bihar and Haryana under a bilateral agreement.

The Central Electricity Authority of India, operating under the Ministry of Electricity, has granted approval for the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) to export 125.89 MW to Haryana and 125 MW to Bihar under an interim agreement.

The power to be sold to Bihar will be sourced from ten hydropower projects, while the electricity for Haryana will be generated by two hydropower projects. Currently, the NEA is selling 190 MW to Haryana.

From June to October each year, Nepal will sell its surplus seasonal electricity to Bihar and Haryana. With this arrangement, the total electricity exported to India under the mid-term agreement has reached 360 MW.

The approved rate for selling electricity until October is 8.72 Nepali rupees (₹5.45) per unit. Last year, the selling rate for 190 MW to Haryana was set at 8.40 rupees (₹5.25) per unit. NEA is not responsible for taxes and fees, including transmission line fees, leakage, and trading margins on the Indian side.

NEA has been exporting surplus electricity to India, selling it at competitive rates through India’s Energy Exchange (IX) in the real-time market, day-ahead market, and medium-term power contracts. With India’s approval, electricity sales to Bihar will commence shortly. NEA is poised to sell 941 MW of electricity generated by 28 projects in the Indian market.

NEA Executive Director Kulman Ghisingh stated that following India’s approval, exports to Bihar and Haryana will increase soon. “We can now export more than 1,000 MW, with an additional 200 MW awaiting export approval. We are optimistic about receiving approval shortly,” said Ghisingh. NEA aims to export electricity worth Rs. 25 billion this year.

The following hydropower projects will supply 125 MW to Bihar: Dordi-one (11.64 MW), Mayakhola (14.45 MW), Lower Piluwa (9.99 MW), Lower Khare (10.67 MW), Upper Khimti (11.64 MW), Modi (14.4 MW), Gandak (14.6 MW), Upper Solu (19.21 MW), and Dudhkund (11.64 MW). Electricity will be exported through the Kataiya, Raxaul, and Ramnagar transmission points.

Additionally, 125.89 MW from Likhu-1 (75 MW) and Likhu-2 (50.89 MW) will be sold to Haryana. Last fiscal year, NEA imported 1.89 billion units of electricity from India, costing Rs. 16 billion, while exporting 1.95 billion units and earning Rs. 17.6 billion. This marks the first year Nepal became a net exporter of electricity.