Electricity supplies from Nepal to Bangladesh have officially resumed after a nearly two-month suspension caused by severe natural disasters in the Himalayan region. A total of 38 megawatts of electricity was successfully transmitted into the national grid on Friday night, marking the restoration of this cross-border energy partnership. Bangladesh's lone power transmission entity, Power Grid PLC, verified the development to media outlets, confirming that power flow restarted smoothly in the evening.
The landmark trilateral power trade between Bangladesh, India, and Nepal originally commenced on June 15, under an agreement designed to export up to 40 megawatts of hydroelectricity to Dhaka. However, unprecedented floods triggered in late August around the Bhotekoshi River basin in Nepal severely damaged key hydroelectric power plants. The resulting destruction forced authorities to halt generation completely, leading to an immediate suspension of electricity exports to Bangladesh starting August 28.
Nepalese electricity relies entirely on India's vast transmission infrastructure to reach the Bangladeshi market, forming a crucial sub-regional energy bridge. During peak monsoon seasons, Nepal typically exports around 1,000 megawatts of power, but the disaster caused production to plunge to roughly 650 megawatts. With repair and rehabilitation works progressing steadily, generation capacity is recovering, allowing the resumption of cross-border transmission flows to Bangladesh.
Energy analysts view the restoration of this power trade as a significant milestone for regional energy cooperation in South Asia. While historically dependent on energy imports during harsh winter months, Nepal has been aggressively positioning itself as a net electricity exporter in the region. Despite the temporary setback caused by climate-induced flooding, the swift revival of the grid connectivity underscores the resilience of this trilateral energy pact.
Moving forward, maintaining a steady and uninterrupted flow of hydroelectricity will bolster Bangladesh's domestic energy mix while reinforcing regional integration. Officials anticipate that once weather conditions and grid capacities stabilize completely, the full contracted volume of 40 megawatts will be consistently delivered, paving the way for broader sub-regional grid connectivity initiatives in the near future.
