Longer load shedding hours likely after India supply cut

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    Loadshedding

    KATHMANDU, Jan 16: India has unilaterally and without notification cut power supply to Nepal by around 25 megawatts. India had recently promised to provide an additional 55 megawatts for this winter.

    “India has cut supply of a total of 25 MW to different points such as Birgunj, Janakpur, Hetauda and Rajbiraj without notifying us,” Rameshwar Yadav, managing director of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) told Republica on Tuesday.

    Nepal was importing around 115 MW from India and was expecting additional 55 MW as agreed during the visit to India by President Ram Baran Yadav in December last year.

    “We have been trying to communicate with Indian officials about this sudden cut from the Uttar Pradesh state,” Yadav said, adding, “No Indian official is available.”

    According to Yadav, India has cut power supply without apparent reason. “I don´t think this is the decision of the central government of India but of the state government of Uttar Pradesh.”

    Interestingly, India has cut down power just a week after President Yadav returned from India. A team of officials had visited India a few days ago purportedly to prepare ground for importing additional 55 MW. “We had a very nice conversation with Indian officials on issues including additional power and transmission lines,” Yadav said.

    After Monday´s cut in supply, NEA has not yet made any decision to reschedule the load-shedding hours. “We still don´t know whether the cut in supply is temporary or permanent,” an official said.

    Yadav also said NEA is still trying to contact Indian officials regarding the cut in supply.

    NEA officials said the country could see load-shedding up to 20 hours a day if the cut in supply from India is permanent.

    Source : The Republica

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    KATHMANDU, JAN 14 – Nepal’s power woes are likely to worsen further as India has cut down power supply by 30MW from Monday.
    Nepal Electricity Authority spokesperson Sher Singh Bhat said that India has cut off electricity supply completely through the 32KV transmission lines of Raksual-Birgunj, Sitamadhi-Jaleshwor and Kataiya-Rajbiraj. Likewise, the southern neigbour has also cut down electricity supply of 20MW through 132KV Kataiya-Duhabi transmission line. India, which has been supplying 70-75MW of power to Nepal, reduced it down to just 50-60MW from Monday.
    Bhat said that the NEA was unsure as to how long India will be cutting down power supply. “Its impact on load shedding table will be clear once we learn about the length of the reduced power supply from India,” he said, while assuring that it would not make big difference if it lasts for just 1-2 days.
    But the NEA’s current 12-hour long load shedding is expected go up soon. While the government had announced the load shedding reduction plan not to increase power cuts more than 12 hours a day, it has not been able to implement the plan.
    Early construction of the 400KV Dhalkebar-Mujjaffapur inter-boarder transmission line, generating 40MW energy from diesel plants, importing 200 MW additional energy from India and purchasing energy from the plants of local industrial units among others were the major features of load shedding reduction plan. However, hardly any of the plans has so far been implemented properly.

    Source : The Kathmandu Post