WORLD> Asia-Pacific
Nepal resumes electricity import from India
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-02-26 15:51

KATHMANDU -- Nepal started receiving 35 MW electricity from India through Duhabi-Kataiya cross-border transmission link on Wednesday night.

According to Thursday's myrepublica.com, faced with chronic power shortage, Nepal had expected resumption of 60 MW of electricity import from India after restoring the electricity towers toppled by the Koshi River in Sunsari district in eastern Nepal last year.

Import of power from India through Duhabi-Kataiya had stopped since the flood ravaged the cross-border transmission line.

Consumers, who have been bearing the brunt of around 16 hours power cut a day, will have no immediate relief even after the import of the additional 35 MW from India.

Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), which was operating Kulekhani, the only storage-type project to capacity, has planned to generate power at minimum level from the project fearing that the reservoir could run dry soon.

"We will not be able to immediately reduce power cut because we will have to decrease the power generation in Kulekhani," Sher Singh Bhat, director Systems Operations Department, NEA, told myrepublica.com.

"Talks are underway with the Indian side to import more electricity as per earlier understanding. First let us be clear how much electricity India provides. Only then will we be in the position to speak about a new load-shedding schedule," he said.