Full Breakdown
India Approves 654 MW Power Export to Flood-Hit Nepal
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
India’s Ministry of Power announced that, beginning September 13 2026, it will export up to 654 MW of electricity to the Nepal Electricity Authority for 18 hours each day (midnight to 6 p.m.) until December 31 2026. The export will use two corridors: up to 600 MW via the Muzaffarpur-Dhalkebar 400 kV double-circuit line and up to 54 MW via the Tanakpur-Mahendranagar 132 kV single-circuit line. The ministry said the quantum of power to be exported from January 2027 will be reviewed in December 2026.
Background & Context
On August 26 2026, flash floods caused by a glacial collapse in the Trishuli/Lhende Khola basin devastated northern and central Nepal, destroying more than a dozen hydropower facilities and cutting domestic generation capacity by roughly 550 MW. Hydropower, which supplies almost all of Nepal’s electricity, fell from an installed capacity of about 4,200 MW, forcing the country to halt its usual power exports to India and seek emergency imports. The floods also killed over 1,300 people, left thousands missing, and caused billions of dollars in infrastructure loss.
Data & Statistics
- Export capacity: 654 MW total (600 MW + 54 MW).
- Export schedule: 18 hours daily, Sept 13 – Dec 31 2026.
- Transmission lines: Muzaffarpur-Dhalkebar 400 kV line; Tanakpur-Mahendranagar 132 kV line.
- Generation loss in Nepal: ? 550 MW.
- Hydropower plants affected: 12 – 13 facilities.
- Human toll: death counts range from 1,344 to 1,400.
- Missing persons: ? 5,130.
- India’s domestic peak demand: 269 GW on September 10 2026, with a non-solar shortfall of 6.1 GW.
Official Statements & Responses
The Ministry of External Affairs reported that eight Indian Air Force flights have delivered more than 130 tonnes of relief material since August 26, and that 54 expert personnel have been deployed for rescue, relief, and forensic operations.
Why It Matters / Impact
The power flow addresses Nepal’s immediate electricity shortfall, keeping hospitals, schools and businesses operating while damaged plants are repaired. For India, the export aligns with periods of abundant solar generation, limiting strain on its grid during a high-demand September. The arrangement also sustains the seasonal bilateral energy trade in which Nepal normally exports surplus hydropower in the monsoon and imports from India in the dry winter months.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Death toll: reports vary between 1,344, 1,385 and “nearly 1,400.”
- Plants damaged: some outlets cite 12 plants, others 13.
- Generation loss: estimates range from 550 MW to “around 550 MW.”
These discrepancies reflect the evolving nature of assessments after the disaster.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The Himalayas are approaching a tipping point, with millions of lives and livelihoods hanging in the balance,” — Arushi Chopra, Systemiq senior director and lead author.