Nepal and Bangladesh have decided to request India to allow export of 40-50MW of electricity from Nepal to Bangladesh in the initial phase utilizing the high voltage direct current power systems located in Bheramara of Bangladesh.

In 2013, India and Bangladesh inaugurated the Baharampur-Bheramara cross-border power transmission link between the countries that would initially facilitate the exchange of 500MW electric power.

As per the understanding reached on secretary-level Joint Steering Committee (JSC) formed for energy cooperation between Nepal and Bangladesh on Thursday, Nepal Electricity Authority and Bangladesh Power Development Board decided to request India’s NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam for a trilateral energy sales and purchase agreement utilizing the Baharampur-Bheramara cross-border power transmission link.

During the fourth JSC meeting on energy cooperation, Bangladesh has informed Nepal that it would be concluding the deal to buy 500MW electricity from 900MW Upper Karnali hydropower project which will be developed by India’s GMR Group, by September, according to a press statement issued by Nepal’s Energy Ministry on Thursday.

In 2019, GMR and Bangladesh had signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) and the signed PPA had been submitted to the Bangladesh Cabinet for review.

The meeting also decided to cooperate on the electricity sector by providing the environmental impact assessment report of 683MW Sunkoshi III Hydropower Project to Bangladesh.

The ministry said in the statement that Bangladesh will provide its comments on the report, after which a joint committee will proceed ahead for the development of the project.

The both sides decided to make efforts for a tripartite agreement between Nepal, Bangladesh and India for the development of Nepal-Bangladesh dedicated power transmission line.

The JSC meeting was chaired by Sushil Chandra Tiwari, secretary of the Ministry of Energy, Water Resource and Irrigation and Mohammad Habibur Rehman, secretary of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources from Bangladesh.

The both sides agreed to cooperate on solar home systems and other renewable energy.