Kathmandu, December 20
The amount of electricity Nepal imports from India is increasing every year as the country is struggling hard to continue end of regular power outage.
Nepal Electricity Authority spokesperson Prabal Raj Adhikari says Nepal needs to import 470 megawatt electricity this winter. Currently, the amount of import is 392 megawatt.
Nepal had imported 385 megawatt power from India in this season last year. The amount has increased this year as the amount of productions from run-of-the-river decreased with the onset of dry season.
The Authority has estimated that the demand will rise up to 1,380 megawatts in this season.
Currently, domestic projects contribute only 586 megawatts to the national grid, according to Adhikari. It is less than the production around this time last year.
For example, the 144-megawatt Kaligandaki Hydroelectricity Project is producing only 104 megawatt power now as the water level in the river significantly decreased. The production is further falling down, according to the project.
The Authority hopes that 12 private projects will begin the production within next four months and they will contribute around 115 megawatts.
