India approves 654MW emergency exports to Nepal

India approved exports of up to 654 megawatts to Nepal from Sept. 13–Dec. 31 for 18 hours daily to help avert a winter power crisis, officials said.

Officials said the flows will run from midnight to 6pm each day; exchanges and state utilities in the region are preparing to handle the imports.

Damage estimated at Rs 134.69 billion

A rapid government assessment put energy-sector physical damage from the August 26 flash floods at Rs 134.69 billion, the report said, and listed multiple hydropower plants as damaged or isolated. Hundreds of hydropower workers remained missing, the report added, and restoration costs were expected to be substantially higher than the initial tally.

The floods hit rivers that feed key stations including the Trishuli and Devighat projects, both built with earlier cross‑border support, the report noted. Nepal, which started selling power on the Indian exchange in 2021, asked for imports as an operational measure rather than the usual winter request window, and India granted it ahead of schedule, officials said.

India’s grid stress and seasonal squeeze

Officials also flagged that India’s own September peak demand was unusually high, near 269 GW, while non‑solar hours remained tight because of a patchy monsoon and El Niño influences. That pressure shaped the timing and scale of the approvals, the report said.

The import window runs through Dec. 31; officials said authorities will reassess supply needs and restoration progress at that deadline.