Kathmandu, Jan. 7: The 11th meeting of the Joint Steering Committee on Power Sector Cooperation (JSC), co-chaired by Gopal Prasad Sigdel, Secretary (Energy), Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation and Pankaj Agarwal, Secretary, Ministry of Power, Government of India was held in Chitwan on 5 January 2024. The meeting followed the signing of the Agreement on Long Term Power Trade between India and Nepal on 4 January 2024. This was preceded by the 11th meeting of the Joint Working Group on Power Sector Cooperation (JWG) held in Kathmandu on 3 January 2024 that was co-chaired by Nabin Raj Singh, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, and Dr. D. Sai Baba, Joint Secretary, Indian Ministry of Power.

These meetings comprehensively reviewed the bilateral power sector cooperation between India and Nepal, including power trade and the implementation of hydropower projects and transmission lines. The progress made in various bilateral committees, including Joint Technical Team (JTT), was also discussed.

The modalities of cross border power trade through 132 kV and below transmission lines were approved during the meeting. This assumes special significance as three new 132 kV lines i.e., second circuit of Raxaul (Bihar, India) -Parwanipur (Nepal), second circuit of Kataiya (Bihar, India) -Kusaha (Nepal) and New Nautanwa (Uttar Pradesh, India)-Mainhiya (Nepal) were inaugurated by the External Affairs Minister of India and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Nepal on 4 January 2024.  These lines add about 200 MW transmission capacity enhancing the overall transmission capacity between India and Nepal to 1400 MW. Further, the New Nautanwa-Mainhiya transmission line is the first connection between Nepal and the state of Uttar Pradesh in India.

Achieving progress on the India-Nepal Joint Vision Statement on Power Sector Cooperation issued during the visit of Rt. Hon. Prime Minister of Nepal to India in April 2022, both sides agreed to hold the first meeting of the Joint Hydro Development Committee (JHDC) soon.

Secretary Pankaj Agarwal also called on Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation of Nepal, Shakti Bahadur Basnet before the JSC.

The two sides agreed to continue the discussions on the subject and decided to meet soon for the next sessions of the JWG/JSC meetings to be organized by the Indian side.