The government has permitted the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) to purchase 23 MW of electricity from the Power Trading Corporation of India (PTC).
Reports quoted executive director of the NEA Arjun Karki as saying that the NEA will start the procurement process shortly as the government has permitted the NEA to purchase electricity from the PTC.
Karki informed that the NEA will import power from the PTC through the Purniya-Kataiya route within the mid April.
“In the initial phase, an agreement has been reached to import power for four months. The NEA will pay IRs 4.40 per unit to the PTC. Power is expensive for the short term, but will be cheaper in the long run,” Karki added.
“The PTC has proposed to provide over 50 MW of electricity in the winter season. However, the NEA could not purchase power in line with the proposal due to lack of extension lines,” he said.
“Talks between India and Nepal are underway for the construction of a 400 KV line in Nepal jointly by the Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services Limited (IL&FS) of India and Nepal’s NEA,” Karki informed.
Nepal is currently facing 24-hour per week load shedding.