Kathmandu, Feb 14: Nepal and India have agreed to develop high-capacity transmission lines to enhance cross-border power trade. The agreement comes as Nepal aims to generate 28,500 megawatts of electricity by 2035.

According to Sandip Kumar Dev, Spokesperson and Joint Secretary at Nepal's Ministry of Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation, two new transmission lines will be completed by 2034/35, while the capacity of an existing transmission line will be upgraded.

The Secretary-Level Joint Steering Committee (JSC) meeting between Nepal and India finalized plans to construct the Nijgadh-Harnaiya-Motihari and Kohalpur-Lucknow transmission lines, both operating at 400 kV. Additionally, the Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur transmission line, currently transmitting 800 megawatts, will be upgraded with a high-capacity conductor.

During the meeting, both sides agreed to facilitate the import and export of up to 1,000 megawatts of electricity.

The 29th Secretary-Level JSC meeting, held in India on February 11, was attended by Suresh Acharya, Secretary of Nepal's Ministry of Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation, and Pankaj Agrawal, Secretary of India’s Ministry of Electricity.

Nepal and India had previously agreed to construct the Inaruwa-Purniya and Dodhara-Bareli cross-border transmission lines, each with a capacity of 400 kV, further strengthening bilateral energy cooperation.