Jun 24, 2019
An agreement has been reached on seeking electricity trade potentiality and various aspects of hydropower between Nepal and Bangladesh. The agreement was made at a joint steering committee meeting on energy cooperation between Nepal and Bangladesh on June 20 and 21.
This information was shared at a press conference organised here in the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation on Sunday.
On the occasion, Secretary of the Ministry Dinesh Kumar Ghimire informed that the meeting focused on cross-border transmission lines between Nepal and Bangladesh and on Bangladesh’s commitment to purchase 500 megawatts of energy produced by the Upper Karnali hydropower project, and decided to endorse the decision related to power efficiency and investment in renewable energy.
The project is being developed by India-based Grandhi Mallikarjuna Rao (GMR) Group.
The date has been extended due to lack of financial management. Final preparation has been nearing completion to turn the agreement into power purchase agreement. Bangladesh has stipulated provision at policy level to purchase around 9,000 megawatt of electricity from Nepal by 2040.
The government of Bangladesh during the visit of Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Barshaman Pun in his last visit to Bangladesh in September last year had proposed a joint investment on hydropower projects in Nepal terming electricity to be one of the most essential commodity for Bangladesh.
According to the Joint-Secretary at the Ministry of Energy, Water resources and Irrigation Prabinraja Aryal, agreement was made between the countries for collaboration in the field of renewable energy.
Agreement has been made that that joint technical team from the both country to conduct feasibility study regarding construction of transmission line for a long-haul.
Similarly, Alternative Energy Promotion Centre of Nepal and Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority of Bangladesh have also agreed to collaborate. A mechanism would be made for exchanging experience of Bangladesh in alternative energy sector and biogas of Nepal as well as collaboration in this regard.
Joint-Secretary of the Energy Ministry, Prabin Aryal, and Executive Director of Nepal Electricity Authority, Kul Man Ghising, among others were in the team.
Bangladesh has shown its interest to construct 1,110-MW Sunkoshi II and 536-MW Sunkoshi III hydropower projects.
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