India blocks Nepal's additional 20 MW electricity export to Bangladesh

Nepal's planned increase in electricity exports to Bangladesh has been stalled, with India withholding approval for an additional 20 megawatts (MW).

Energy officials stated that India's Central Electricity Authority (CEA) cited transmission line capacity constraints as the reason for not granting the approval. This decision means Nepal will only export 40 MW to Bangladesh from June 15, instead of the anticipated 60 MW.

Further procedures, including a revised or new tripartite agreement and a decision from the Nepal–India Energy Secretary-level Joint Steering Committee (JSC), are still necessary. While a JSC meeting in Dhaka on November 27, 2025, had agreed in principle to expand exports by 20 MW under the existing 40 MW arrangement, the process has encountered roadblocks.

The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) had formally requested the expansion through India's NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Limited India (NVVN). However, NVVN indicated that the India–Bangladesh transmission line, with a 1,000 MW capacity, could not accommodate the extra allocation. "This time, only 40 MW of electricity will be exported to Bangladesh," said Tharka Bahadur Thapa, director of NEA’s electricity trade department. "But the response was that the transmission line does not have capacity for the additional 20 MW."

The proposed expansion now requires further decisions from upcoming Nepal–India JSC and Joint Working Group (JWG) meetings, which have not yet been scheduled. The initial 40 MW export arrangement was also finalized through JSC meetings and a tripartite agreement signed in October 2024, allowing exports from June 15 to November 15 annually.

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This time, only 40 MW of electricity will be exported to Bangladesh. Although a tripartite agreement for the additional 20 MW had not yet been completed, like the earlier 40 MW arrangement, we had initiated the process through NVVN at India’s CEA. But the response was that the transmission line does not have capacity for the additional 20 MW.