By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Dec. 12: The Joint Steering Committee (JSC) meeting on Nepal-India Cooperation in Power Sector has agreed to finalise the regulatory modality to allow Nepali power producers' access to India’s energy market.
India said that it would provide an outlet for Nepal's surplus energy in the coming months.
"Both sides are close to finalising the regulatory modality for allowing Nepali producers access to Indian power market which will provide an outlet for Nepal's surplus power," Indian Embassy in Kathmandu said in a statement on Friday.
The meeting has agreed to make legal and policy reforms to make the cross-border energy trade possible, said Pravin Raj Aryal, spokesperson at the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation (MoEWRI).
As per the agreement, feasibility study will be conducted for the construction of Kohalpur-Lucknow 400KV transmission line. Likewise, hydroelectricity projects and markets would also be studied in the process, said Aryal.
Similarly, 132 KV Kushah-Kataiya transmission line would be completed at the earliest while work at the Nautanahawa-Mainahawa transmission line would be expedited. India is also positive to develop Kohalpur-Nanpara transmission line. Nepal had prepared a design and sent it to India.
Both the countries reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening power sector cooperation which includes development of an integrated grid, building of more cross border transmission lines and Indian investment in Nepal's hydro and solar power projects.
The positive and wide-ranging discussions today are expected to further support the expansion in power sector cooperation between India and Nepal, said the embassy.
The 8th meeting of Joint Steering Committee and Joint Working Group (JWG) on energy started on Thursday and concluded on Friday.
Power Secretary of India Sanjiv Nandan Sahai and Energy Secretary of Nepal Dinesh Kumar Ghimire co-chaired the virtual meeting on Friday. Sahai was accompanied by Indian Ambassador to Nepal Vinay Mohan Kwatra and a 17-member delegation.
The JWG meeting was held on Thursday. The JSC is the apex bilateral mechanism for enhancing and coordinating government-to-government undertakings in power sector.
The meeting reviews progress made at cross-border power trade, development of energy banking mechanism, and 900 MW Arun-III Hydroelectric Project.