Executive Director of Nepal Electricity Authority, Kulman Ghising, has described the power trade agreement reached with India as a historic breakthrough in the power trade sector.
He was referring to the agreement reached with India on Thursday to import additional 1200 megawatts of power from Nepal including from the 456 MW Upper Tamakoshi hydropower project. As per the long-term power trade agreement signed on Thursday, India will import 10,000 MW of power from Nepal in the next 10 years.
The agreement was signed on Thursday in the course of the ongoing official visit of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal to India.
Furthermore, India has also expressed the willingness to facilitate the export of hydropower from Nepal to Bangladesh through India. To start with, export of up to 50 MW of power from Nepal to Bangladesh via India would commence soon after the three countries work out an agreement to this effect.
As Bangladesh wants to invest in Nepal's energy sector and is seeking India's consent, Thursday's agreement is an important milestone for trilateral development.
It may be noted that the Project Development Agreement for the development of 669 MW Lower Arun Hydropower Project and the MoU on the development of 480 MW Phukot Karnali hydropower project was also signed between the two countries on Thursday.
Likewise, President of Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Chandra Prasad Dhakal, said that Thursday's agreement regarding power trade is quite significant. This will lay a new foundation for Nepal's journey to prosperity, he said.
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