The construction modality of the cross-border transmission line between Nepal, India, and Bangladesh is set to be finalized. A secretary-level meeting between Nepal and India, scheduled to take place in New Delhi, will determine the framework for building the transmission infrastructure required to export 15,000 megawatts of electricity from Nepal to India and Bangladesh by 2035.
A delegation led by Suresh Acharya, secretary of the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation, departed for New Delhi today to attend the meeting, which is set for Tuesday. The transmission line construction process will move forward following discussions and an agreement between the two countries.
On February 5, an agreement was reached to facilitate the construction of cross-border transmission lines and the import-export of electricity. The agreement will be implemented once it is approved in the upcoming secretary-level meeting, according to ministry spokesperson Sandeep Kumar Dev.
The meeting will address various aspects of electricity transmission between Nepal and India, including existing transmission lines, under-construction and proposed cross-border connections, Indian-invested hydropower projects, and related infrastructure.
As part of the agreement, two 400 kV transmission lines—from Inaruwa (Nepal) to Purnia (India) and from Dodhara (Nepal) to Bareilly (India)—are set to be completed by 2030. A joint company will be established on both sides, with Nepal Electricity Authority and India’s Power Grid Corporation Limited as major shareholders. Nepal will hold a 51 percent stake in the joint company on its side, while India will hold 51 percent on its side. The remaining 49 percent of shares in each company will be owned by the other country.
Additionally, the Detailed Project Report for the 220 kV Chameliya-Jauljivi double-circuit transmission line is expected to be completed by 2025. The capacity of the Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur transmission line will also be increased from 800 MW to 1,000 MW.
Similarly, the construction of the 400 kV Nijgadh-Motihari and Kohalpur-Lucknow transmission lines is targeted for completion by 2035. The agreement will be ratified following approval from the secretary-level meeting.
Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation Minister Deepak Khadka said that these transmission line agreements will play a crucial role in achieving the government’s goal of exporting 15,000 MW of electricity by 2035. He emphasized the need to expand international transmission infrastructure to accommodate increased electricity exports in the future.
Previously, Nepal and India signed a long-term electricity trade agreement to export 10,000 MW over the next decade. Additionally, Nepal has already begun exporting 40 MW of electricity to Bangladesh.
