Nepal’s plan to increase electricity exports to Bangladesh has been stalled after India declined approval for an additional 20MW, citing constraints on cross-border transmission capacity, energy officials said.
According to The Kathmandu Post, India’s Central Electricity Authority (CEA) withheld clearance for the proposed increase, saying the cross-border transmission corridor lacks sufficient capacity to carry additional load.
Officials noted that the process has stalled pending a revised tripartite agreement and further reviews by the Nepal–India Energy Secretary-level Joint Steering Committee (JSC).
Nepal exports its surplus hydropower to India and Bangladesh during the wet monsoon season, while reverting to power imports from India during the winter.
A bilateral JSC meeting held in Dhaka on Nov 27, 2025 had agreed in principle to scale up the power trade by adding 20MW to the operational 40MW framework.
Following the decision, the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) formally approached NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Limited India (NVVN) to clear the additional transmission.
