Nepal plans to import up to 1,100 MW of electricity from India during the upcoming dry season to meet peak domestic demand. Flash floods, landslides and heavy monsoon rains have damaged hydropower projects and temporarily reduced the country’s generation capacity.

The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) is preparing a work plan for the dry period from December to May 2027. Generation from Nepal’s run-of-the-river hydropower projects typically declines during this period, while demand rises, particularly between February and May.

Nepal currently has about 3,740 MW of generation capacity in operation. However, the August 26 Bhotekoshi flash floods damaged several hydropower plants and related infrastructure, resulting in the loss of about 450 MW of capacity. Heavy monsoon rainfall between September 24 and 27 subsequently damaged the 190 MW Kaligandaki hydropower project.

The combined impact of the disasters has reduced Nepal’s generation capacity by about 640 MW. The NEA is therefore considering electricity imports of up to 1,100 MW from India to balance supply and demand during the winter and the peak-demand period from February to May.

Despite the damage, Nepal is currently exporting between 600 MW and 700 MW of electricity to India. The country has increasingly used cross-border power trade to export surplus electricity during the wet monsoon months and import power during the dry season, when domestic generation falls.

The NEA expects some Bhotekoshi-affected projects to resume generation after maintenance, with about 160 MW expected to be restored by February. The 190 MW Kaligandaki project is also expected to resume operations within a couple of months. India and Nepal have expanded electricity trade in recent years, with New Delhi allowing Kathmandu to sell surplus power in its energy market.