India Approves Power Exports to Nepal After Devastating Floods
India has approved the export of up to 654 megawatts of electricity to Nepal for 18 hours a day until December 31, following devastating floods that damaged the Himalayan nation’s power infrastructure. The disaster wiped out around a tenth of Nepal’s electricity generation capacity, prompting the country to halt power exports and seek electricity from India to meet domestic demand.
The floods, triggered by the collapse of a glacier, killed nearly 1,400 people across Nepal and Tibet and destroyed more than 12 hydropower plants in Nepal. More than 5,300 people, including around 900 power station workers, remain missing. Hydropower supplies almost all of Nepal’s electricity and had become an important source of export revenue before the disaster.
India’s Power Ministry said the approval would help Nepal meet its electricity needs during the crisis while strengthening long-standing energy cooperation between the two countries. Nepal is also seeking international financial assistance, with officials estimating that around $5 billion will be required for initial reconstruction following the devastating floods.
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