Bangla Press Desk: Nepal has officially started exporting 38 megawatts (MW) of hydropower to Bangladesh using Indian transmission lines, with the supply beginning at 12pm on Sunday.
Shamim Hasan, Director of Public Relations at the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB), confirmed the development, stating, “We have been receiving an average of 38MW of hydropower from Nepal since noon today (Sunday).”
BPDB Member (Generation) Md Zahurul Islam also confirmed the commencement of the power import, saying that Nepal will supply electricity to Bangladesh until November. “As per the agreement, Nepal will provide 38MW of electricity from 15 June to 15 November, aligning with our peak summer demand,” he said.
The electricity, including Indian transmission charges, will cost approximately Tk7 per kilowatt-hour (unit).
The deal follows years of discussions aimed at importing clean hydropower from Nepal. A successful trial was conducted on 15 November 2023, when Nepal exported up to 38MW of electricity to Bangladesh for one day — a move widely hailed as a breakthrough in regional energy collaboration.
The current agreement covers only the summer months (June to November) when Nepal’s hydropower generation peaks due to monsoon-fed rivers and Bangladesh’s demand surges due to high temperatures.
Earlier, Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan noted that all logistical and technical arrangements had been finalised to facilitate the import. “We are set to receive electricity from Nepal during the summer, and the arrangement ensures clean and sustainable energy to help meet our growing demand,” he said.
“We plan to send a proposal to Nepal offering electricity exports in winter,” Adviser Fouzul Kabir Khan added. “We will formally invite Nepal’s energy minister to visit Dhaka to begin talks on this potential two-way energy cooperation.” This article was originally published on Daily Sun.
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