Full Breakdown
India Approves 654 MW of Power Export to Flood-Stricken Nepal
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Core Event: Emergency Power Supply Arrangement
The Ministry of Power announced that India will export up to 654 megawatts (MW) of electricity to the Nepal Electricity Authority for 18 hours each day—from midnight to 6 p.m.—effective September 13, 2026 through December 31, 2026. The allocation includes up to 600 MW via the Muzaffarpur-Dhalkebar 400 kV double-circuit line and an additional 54 MW through the Tanakpur-Mahendranagar 132 kV single-circuit line.
Background & Context
On August 26, 2026, an ice-rock avalanche triggered flash floods across Nepal’s Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Gorkha and Tanahun districts. The disaster swept away or damaged more than a dozen hydropower plants—including the 14-MW Devighat plant that supplies power to India—and halted domestic generation. Nepal, which relies almost entirely on hydropower, traditionally imports electricity from India during the dry winter months beginning in October. The unprecedented damage forced an early request for imports in August.
Data & Statistics
- Export capacity: 654 MW total (600 MW + 54 MW) as approved by the Ministry of Power.
- Flood impact: Nepal’s national disaster risk reduction and management authority reported 1,385 deaths and 5,130 missing persons as of September 11, 2026. Approximately 900 power-station workers are among the missing.
- Generation loss: An executive cited a reduction of roughly 550 MW in Nepal’s domestic generation capacity.
- Cross-border flow: Export from Nepal to India is down by about 400 MW from previous peak levels of 950-1,000 MW.
- India’s domestic demand: Grid India data show peak demand of 269 GW on September 10, 2026, the highest for the month, with a night-time shortfall of 6.1 GW.
- Generation mix shift: National Power Portal analysis indicates gas-based generation rose 80.32 % and coal-based generation rose 25.30 % during September 1-9, 2026 compared with the same period a year earlier.
Official Statements & Responses
- The Ministry of External Affairs reported that eight special flights have delivered more than 130 tonnes of relief material and deployed 54 expert personnel for rescue, relief and forensic operations.
- The U.S. State Department announced a $1 million grant to enhance Nepal Police’s DNA and forensic identification capacity, bringing total U.S. humanitarian assistance after the floods to over $5 million.
- Nepal’s Infrastructure Development Minister Sunil Lamsal told The Kathmandu Post that China has given a verbal commitment to assist with rebuilding the Syaphrubesi-Rasuwagadhi road, though no written agreement has been signed.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Death-toll figures are provided only by Nepal’s disaster authority; no alternative counts appear in the sources.
- The exact number of hydropower plants damaged varies between “more than 12” and “13” across reports, indicating a minor discrepancy.
- No public data are available on the precise timing of Nepal’s request for early imports beyond the general statement that it was made in August.
What’s Next
The Ministry of Power indicated that the quantum of electricity to be exported from January 2027 will be reviewed in December 2026. No further schedule for additional assistance or infrastructure rebuilding has been detailed in the available sources.