Load Shedding Concerns as India Limits Electricity Supply After 6 PM During Dry Season: How Nepal Is Preparing
Image source, BBC/AshokDahal
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Following India’s decision to supply electricity only from morning until 6 PM after two weeks, concerns have risen about potential load shedding in Nepal during the dry season. However, Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) asserts that such load shedding will not occur.
A former executive director also stated that consumers are unlikely to face load shedding under normal circumstances.
According to NEA spokesperson Rajan Dhakal, the recently renewed electricity purchase agreement with India ensures Nepal can maintain continuous 24-hour electricity supply for the next 15 days.
The previous agreement for electricity purchase via the Indian Energy Exchange (IEX) expired in March.
The renewal post-March has now granted Nepal the authorization to procure electricity through advance (day-ahead) and real-time trading markets.
Dhakal said that Nepal will be able to purchase electricity round-the-clock from April 1 to 15.
“Afterwards, the purchase will be permitted for 16 hours daily,” he explained.
“This arrangement includes two periods: from April 16 to 30, electricity can be bought from 2 AM to 6 PM, and from May 1 to June 30, from 4 AM to 8 PM, permitting 16 hours of electricity purchase. Electricity purchase at night is not allowed.”
Will there be load shedding at night when electricity from India is unavailable?
Image source, BBC/AshokDahal
According to NEA, during the dry season Nepal produces only 1,500 to 1,600 megawatts of electricity.
However, during the peak demand periods in the evening and morning, electricity demand reaches up to 2,000 megawatts. Authority statistics recorded a demand of 2,050 megawatts in the last 24 hours.
With rising temperatures, demand is expected to increase to between 2,200 and 2,300 megawatts by the months of Baishakh and Jestha.
Due to insufficient domestic production, Nepal imports electricity from India to meet demand, but concerns arise about challenges in load management when imports are not available during high evening demand.
Former NEA executive director Manoj Silwal reports that residential consumers are unlikely to face load shedding.
“Industries may face one to two hours of power cuts,” Silwal said.
“The situation is better than last year. Previously, there was no opportunity to purchase power during the dry season, but this year, we have secured at least 180 megawatts electronically for 24 hours, which will help.”
Last year, India agreed to supply electricity during the dry season only for 20 hours a day until March 15 and from 6 AM to 6 PM from March 16 to June 30.
NEA has an agreement to import 180 megawatts 24 hours daily from India until May.
How Does the Authority Manage the Situation?
Image source, utkhpl
NEA spokesperson Dhakal confirmed that contingency plans are in place to manage electricity demand even when Indian electricity is unavailable during peak evening hours.
“There is no such problem. We have a 24-hour commitment of 180 megawatts,” Dhakal said. “There are also ‘peaking plants’ that store water during the day to generate electricity in the evening.”
During the peak demand from 6 PM to 8 PM, plants with capacities of 800 to 900 megawatts can store water during the day to supply power in the evening.
Upper Tamakoshi, Kulekhani, Marsyangdi, Kaligandaki, and other projects can accumulate water during the day for evening generation.
The NEA plans to import between 600 and 750 megawatts of electricity from India during daytime. Previously, India permitted imports of 600 megawatts via Dhalkebar and 54 megawatts via Takpur. Including other transmission lines, Nepal can import up to 1,004 megawatts.
Bilateral transmission lines between Nepal and India have the capacity to transfer 1,500 megawatts.
Nepal has secured import approval until August but officials indicate that by then, the country is expected to produce a surplus of electricity domestically and begin exporting.
Dhakal noted Nepal typically exports electricity starting around mid-June, selling to India when production is high and importing when it is low.
Since last year, Nepal has also begun exporting electricity to Bangladesh with an agreement to export 40 megawatts during the six-month rainy season.
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