August 31: Nepal Electricity Authority is projected to export electricity worth Rs 16 billion in the current fiscal year. According to the Executive Director of NEA Kulman Ghising, Nepal will become a full-fledged electricity exporting nation after two years.

In the last 85 days, NEA exported electricity worth Rs 6 billion to India. It is a positive sign for the country suffering from heavy trade deficit.

Currently, 364 MW of electricity is being exported to India daily. The NEA is taking initiative to export around 600 megawatts of electricity. Preparations are underway to export 456 MW of electricity generated by Upper Tamakoshi and 110 MW from other projects.

Executive Director of the NEA, Kulman Ghising, informed New Business Age that they are holding regular talks with the Indian side and a conclusion will be reached soon.

“During the upcoming winter, some amount of electricity may have to be imported, but the quantity will be very low. From next year, we will reduce imports to zero and there will be only export," said Ghising.

The authority has started exporting 39 megawatts of electricity to India from two projects located in Nuwakot since last autumn. NEA started selling electricity in India’s energy exchange market from June 10.

 Ghising said that since the weather in India is hot during the rainy season, the electricity demand is high, and the price rises accordingly. The authority has been able to sell electricity for as much as Rs 19.20 per unit during peak demand, which is much more than the price in the domestic market.

NEA has added 741 MW of electricity to the national grid in the last fiscal year alone. Director General of Department of Electricity Development Sanjiv Dev said that 1,000 megawatts of electricity will be added in the current fiscal year. At present, the country's total electricity capacity connected to the national grid has reached 2,269 megawatts.

As the production of electricity in the country is increasing, there are concerns due to lack of adequate transmission lines for more export. But Ghising, the executive director of the authority, denied it. Currently, the transmission system has been connected with different states of India, he said. Ghising said that in the past, only the issue of importing electricity was given priority, but in recent times, the matter of export has been prioritized.