Kathmandu, February 14

Nepal-India energy secretary-level talks, which is known as joint steering committee (JSC) meeting concluded here today. The meeting led by Anup Kumar Upadhyay, secretary of the Ministry of Energy, and his Indian counterpart from Ministry of Power Pradeep Kumar Pujari, decided to endorse the detailed project report of the 400 kV Butwal-Gorakhpur cross-border transmission line.

Nepal-India joint technical group had prepared the detailed project report of the aforementioned cross-border transmission line. During the JSC meeting, Nepal proposed that both countries take the initiative for construction of the transmission lines that fall in their territory and the energy secretary-level meeting urged the technical committee to recommend the funding modality to the JSC.

Similarly, the JSC meeting also reviewed the power trade between Nepal and India and also agreed to increase the electricity import to Nepal during the dry season of next year via Muzzafarpur-Dhalkebar cross-border transmission line once the line is charged at 220kV.

Currently, the line is being charged at 132kV and the country has been importing 145 megawatts of electricity from India.

Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has signed power purchase agreement with Indian government-owned NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam to import 160 MW electricity via Muzzafarpur-Dhalkebar cross-border transmission line.

As the capacity of other transmission lines, namely, Kataiya-Kusaha and Raxaul-Parwanipur is being enhanced under the grant aid of the Indian government, power-starved Nepal also proposed to import additional 50 MW from each points during the JSC meeting. Indian side has taken the proposal positively, according to Dinesh Kumar Ghimire, spokesperson for the Ministry of Energy.

The meeting also reviewed the progress of Indian investment projects, Arun III and Upper Karnali and joint venture Pancheshwar Multipurpose Project and stressed on construction of transmission lines before completion of generation projects.

During the meeting, Nepali officials also informed that they would soon send comments on ‘Guidelines on Cross Border Trade of Electricity’ issued by the Ministry of Power India in December. Nepali side drew attention of Secretary Pujari and high-level delegation that both the countries should stick to the provisions of Power Trade Agreement (PTA) signed between Nepal and India in 2014 to enhance energy cooperation between the two nations.

Prior to the JSC meeting today, a joint working group (JWG) meeting led by joint secretaries was held on Monday. The PTA signed between Nepal and India envisioned the mechanism of JWG and JSC to monitor and facilitate the implementation of power trade agreements and the meetings of these mechanisms are held every year alternately in Nepal and India.

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Nepal-India JSC meeting from today