Nepal hydel capacity hit, may import from India NEW DELHI: In a possible reversal of the usual power flow between the two neighbours, India may have to export electricity to Nepal during the season when it typically imports hydropower from the land-locked country to meet high domestic demand.The move may be needed to bridge the power shortage in Nepal caused by damage to hydropower projects in Wednesday’s flash floods.India typically imports hydropower from Nepal during summer and exports electricity in the dry winter to the Himalayan nation, when rivers freeze and generation is impacted.Hydropower accounts for more than 90% of Nepal’s roughly 4,300MW generation capacity.While power ministry did not respond to queries, a senior official said India could look into Nepal’s request, if made, as the current domestic power demand is between 245-250GW, much lower than its capacity to meet a peak demand of 280GW.According to reports, Wednesday’s flash floods impacted 13 hydroelectric power plants and a solar plant in Nepal, affecting nearly 360MW of electricity generation capacity. This included the 14MW Devighat hydropower plant that supplies power to India. India gets electricity from multiple hydroelectric power plants in Nepal.Officials said India and Nepal currently have a 1,000MW electricity import-export capacity through the Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur 400kV cross-border transmission line. Both countries recently agreed to increase the combined power transfer capacity to over 1,400MW.
