The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has assured that there will be no power cuts during Tihar, the Hindu festival of lights, which is set to begin soon.
The NEA estimates that electricity demand will peak at around 1,600 megawatts (MW) on Laxmi Puja, the main day of Tihar, which falls on Monday — a figure comparable to last year’s consumption level.
According to NEA Spokesperson Rajan Dhakal, the authority is fully prepared to handle the increased demand during the festive period. “While household electricity consumption typically surges during Tihar, industrial usage declines, helping to balance the overall load,” he explained.
Preparedness for Reliable Power Supply
Last year, electricity demand in the Kathmandu Valley peaked at 390 MW on Laxmi Puja. Nepal has remained free from power outages since 2018, following the gradual phase-out of load-shedding that began in 2016, starting with Laxmi Puja as a pilot initiative.
Dhakal stated that the NEA has instructed all regional and technical units to remain on high alert to minimize disruptions caused by potential distribution system issues. “To prevent interruptions, distribution center heads, power plant managers, and technical staff nationwide will stay on standby throughout the festival,” he added.
Impact of Floods and Power Exports
Recent floods triggered by continuous rainfall damaged more than a dozen privately operated hydropower plants, disrupting over 105 MW of production. However, NEA confirmed that the state-owned hydropower plants remain fully operational, ensuring that power supply during Tihar will not be affected.
Meanwhile, Nepal’s electricity exports have continued to perform strongly. In the first two months of the current fiscal year, the country earned Rs 8.64 billion from power exports to India and Bangladesh, marking a 10.5 percent increase compared to Rs 7.82 billion during the same period last year.
Nepal currently exports around 1,000 MW of electricity to India and 40 MW to Bangladesh during the peak generation season. In FY 2024/25, total export earnings from electricity reached Rs 17.45 billion.
With stable generation, improved distribution systems, and strong export performance, NEA’s commitment to uninterrupted electricity supply this Tihar highlights the country’s continued progress toward energy reliability and efficiency.
