KATHMANDU, Nov. 15 (Xinhua) -- Nepal started to export electricity to Bangladesh on Friday, marking the first time for the Himalayan country to do so to a third country other than India.
A total of 40 megawatts of power is being sent to Bangladesh via Indian transmission lines after officials from Nepal, Bangladesh and India pressed a switch virtually in Kathmandu.
Nepal is allowed to export power to Bangladesh via India under a tripartite agreement signed in Kathmandu in early October.
"Nepal will be able to sell electricity for just one day in 2024 as per the tripartite agreement," said Chandan Kumar Ghosh, spokesperson for the Nepal Electricity Authority.
He told Xinhua that the export of power to Bangladesh will resume on June 15, 2025.
Under the tripartite deal, Nepal is allowed to sell power to Bangladesh from June 15 to Nov. 15 each year for five years.
Only 40mw of power is being sent to Bangladesh due to the limited spare capacity of the Indian grid connected to Bangladesh, Ghosh said, adding that there is scope for exporting more power in the coming years after more transmission lines are built.
Nepal has been exporting power to India since November 2021 as it produces surplus hydropower in the monsoon season in particular. ■