This Himalayan nation is aiming to almost double its electricity contribution to the Indian grid to 1.1 gigawatts this summer, when high temperatures are expected to push electricity consumption demand to a record level.
The information was announced by Mr. Hitendra Dev Shakya - Managing Director of the State Electricity Authority of Nepal.
In the next 2 years, Nepal can supply about 2.5 gigawatts thanks to an upgraded and more modern power grid system.
This plan was put forward in the context of escalating conflict in the Middle East, an area where India imports most of its fuel. Gas shortages due to infrastructure attacks and the closure of the Hormuz Strait are testing India's energy resilience, right at a time when consumption demand is usually on a sharp increase.
The Iran war has limited the supply of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), a fuel used by more than 330 million households in India for cooking.
The increasing shortage of natural gas may affect power plants that depend on this fuel source to meet electricity demand at night, when solar power is no longer operating.
Although the amount of electricity from Nepal is still relatively small compared to India's total electricity demand - expected to reach 283 gigawatts this summer - it may contribute to reducing the shortage caused by the war. Last year, Nepal supplied about 600 megawatts of hydropower continuously to India in the 6 months up to November. This year, the country is looking for partners to export an additional 500 megawatts of electricity, according to Mr. Shakya.
