India has approved expedited electricity exports to Nepal after devastating floods damaged the country’s hydropower infrastructure. Up to 654 megawatts will be transmitted for 18 hours a day through December 31, according to India’s Ministry of Power.
The arrangement is intended to help Nepal meet urgent power needs after a glacial mountain collapse on the China-Nepal border triggered flooding on August 26.
Why Nepal needs imported power
Nepal had previously exported surplus electricity to India, but the destruction caused by the floods has forced it to import power instead. The damage has disrupted an energy system that depended almost entirely on hydropower. Read the context: Nepal asks UN for climate compensation after floods.
Thousands of displaced people are sheltering in aid centres and have little hope of returning home soon. The United Nations and its partners are appealing for nearly $50m for survivors, while Nepali officials estimate that at least $5bn is needed for initial rebuilding.
Key points
- At least 12 hydropower projects in Nepal were damaged.
- More than 5,500 people remain missing in Nepal, including at least 900 hydropower station workers.
- More than 1,400 people were killed in Nepal and Tibet.
- Nepal’s energy needs were almost entirely met by hydropower before the floods.
What happens next
India’s Ministry of Power said it would review the amount of electricity exported from January during December. The ministry described the approval as support for Nepal during a difficult period and as a step to strengthen energy cooperation between the two countries.
Nepali officials have linked the disaster to the vulnerability of poor countries facing climate change. A study released this month said glaciers in the Himalayas are melting faster than a decade ago, threatening water security as the region approaches “peak water” by mid-century.
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