India, Nepal agree to add 200 MW to Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur transmission line

Kathmandu, Feb 19 (PTI) Nepal and India have inked an agreement to increase the power import and export capacity through the Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur transmission line from 600 megawatts to 800 megawatts, authorities here said on Sunday.

The agreement was reached at the Energy Secretary-level Joint Steering Committee (JSC) meeting in Mount Abu, Rajasthan, on Saturday, according to a press release issued by the Ministry of Energy on Sunday.

During the 10th meeting of Nepal India Energy Secretary-level JSC, “discussions were held on various important issues such as expanding the power of existing, under-construction and proposed transmission lines, Arun Third hydroelectric power, and related transmission line projects and international power export and import,” the press release said.

The meeting was co-chaired by Nepal’s Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Madhu Prasad Bhetwal and Alok Kumar, Secretary at the Ministry of Electricity, India.

According to the press release, an agreement was reached to increase the capacity to import-export electricity through the 400 KV Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur transmission line by 200 MW, increasing it from 600 MW (megawatts) to 800 MW.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his then Nepalese counterpart KP Sharma Oli had launched the 140 km Muzaffarpur-Dalkebar power transmission line in 2016.

An agreement to import and export 70 to 80 MW of electricity from Tanakpur-Mahendranagar 132 KV (kilovolt) power transmission was also signed between the two sides.

“A joint technical team will study possible options for exporting up to 200 megawatts of electricity as well,” the press release said.

According to the press release, it has also been agreed to set up the necessary mechanisms to export power from Nepal to Bihar during the rainy season through the existing 132 KV transmission line.

“Both the parties agreed on the early completion of the construction work of the Indian section of the 400 KV new Butwal-Gorakhpur transmission line as the second international transmission line by March 2025.”

It was also agreed to build two additional 400 KV capacity international transmission lines between the two countries, including the Inaruwa-Poornia transmission line by 2027/28 and the New Lamki-Bareli transmission line by 2028-29.

“India has responded positively to Nepal’s request to grant permission to export 50 MW of electricity to Bangladesh via India as per export-import guidelines if a specific proposal is submitted,” the press release said.