India approves expedited export of electricity to flood-hit Nepal - The Hindu
India has approved an 18‑hour daily export of up to 654 MW of electricity to Nepal, lasting until 31 December 2026, to offset the loss of 12 hydropower plants destroyed by floods. The move reinforces bilateral energy ties and provides critical relief to Nepal’s power‑strapped population and essential services.
AI Objective Summary
India has approved an 18‑hour daily export of up to 654 MW of electricity to Nepal, lasting until 31 December 2026, to offset the loss of 12 hydropower plants destroyed by floods. The move reinforces bilateral energy ties and provides critical relief to Nepal’s power‑strapped population and essential services.
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**India Expedites Electricity Export to Flood‑Stricken Nepal**
*Kathmandu/Delhi, 14 September 2026* – In the wake of unprecedented monsoon flooding that devastated large swathes of Nepal’s western and central regions, the Indian government has approved an accelerated electricity export arrangement to help stabilize Nepal’s power grid. The floods, which began in early August, destroyed or severely damaged at least twelve of Nepal’s hydropower plants, cutting off roughly 30 % of the country’s generation capacity and leaving millions without reliable electricity. The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) formally appealed to New Delhi for emergency power assistance, citing the urgent need to keep hospitals, schools and critical infrastructure operational.
New Delhi responded by authorising an 18‑hour daily power supply of up to **654 MW** from India, routed through existing cross‑border transmission lines, to be delivered until **31 December 2026**. The arrangement, announced by the Ministry of Power in a joint statement with the Ministry of External Affairs, streamlines the usual bureaucratic procedures for cross‑border energy trade, allowing the Indian Power Grid Corporation to dispatch electricity on a short‑notice basis. The power will be supplied at a preferential tariff agreed upon by both countries, and the Indian side will cover ancillary costs associated with the increased load on the shared transmission network.
The expedited export underscores the deepening energy partnership between the two neighbours and highlights India’s role as a regional stabiliser in times of crisis. Analysts note that the temporary boost not only averts a severe electricity shortage in Nepal but also reinforces the reliability of the bilateral power‑exchange framework established under the 2015 India‑Nepal Power Trade Agreement. While the emergency measures are set to expire at the end of the year, both governments have expressed intent to review longer‑term collaboration, including fast‑tracking the reconstruction of Nepal’s damaged hydro assets and expanding grid interconnectivity to improve resilience against future climate‑induced disruptions.
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