A historic milestone in regional energy cooperation was achieved on Nov 15, 2024 with the inauguration of the first trilateral power transaction from Nepal to Bangladesh through the Indian grid. This momentous occasion, celebrated with a virtual event, marks a significant step towards fostering sub-regional connectivity in the power sector, enhancing energy cooperation between the three countries.
The virtual inauguration was jointly conducted by India’s Union Minister for Power and Housing & Urban Affairs, Manohar Lal, alongside key officials from Bangladesh and Nepal, including Md. Fouzul Kabir Khan, Adviser to the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources of Bangladesh, and Dipak Khadka, Nepal’s Minister of Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation. The event celebrated the commencement of power transmission from Nepal to Bangladesh via Indian infrastructure, a move that promises to strengthen ties and bolster regional energy security.
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According to the Ministry of External Affairs, “This historic occasion marks the first trilateral power transaction, which has been carried out through the Indian grid.” The agreement was facilitated after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the power export plan during Nepalese Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’s visit to India in June 2023. During this visit, both governments expressed their commitment to enhanced cooperation in various sectors, particularly energy, which would foster greater sub-regional integration.
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Following this agreement, a tripartite power sales contract was signed on October 3, 2024, between Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB), and NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam (NVVN), the Indian entity responsible for managing cross-border power trade. This agreement lays the foundation for Nepal’s first power export to Bangladesh, a development that holds significant implications for both countries’ energy futures.
While Nepal has been exporting electricity to India since November 2021, the current agreement makes Bangladesh the first third-country recipient of Nepalese electricity. The export of up to 40 MW of power to Bangladesh is expected to deepen the energy cooperation between the countries,
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