40MW Nepali Power Added to Bangladesh Grid

Bangladesh has started importing 40 megawatts (MW) of hydropower from Nepal under a landmark tripartite agreement signed with Nepal and India. The imported electricity has already been integrated into the national grid and will continue to flow into the country for the next five months.

Md. Zahurul Islam, Member (Generation) of the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB), confirmed the development on Sunday night (June 15). He stated that the power import began shortly after midnight on Saturday (June 14), and will continue until November.

“This electricity is being supplied during Nepal’s monsoon season, when hydropower generation is at its peak. That’s why we’ve opted for seasonal import,” he explained.

The agreement, signed on October 3, 2024, in Kathmandu, was the result of coordinated efforts among the BPDB, Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), and India’s NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Ltd (NVVN). As per the agreement, Nepal will supply power to Bangladesh from June 15 to November 15 each year.

The electricity is transmitted through India’s power grid, specifically via the Muzaffarpur–Baharampur corridor, and enters Bangladesh through the Bheramara substation in Kushtia. Including Indian transmission charges, the cost of each unit of imported electricity is estimated at approximately 7 Bangladeshi Taka.

This marks a significant milestone in regional energy cooperation and is expected to help Bangladesh diversify its energy sources while strengthening ties with its neighbors.