KATHMANDU: Nepal and India have agreed to make hydropower development, cross-border transmission lines and power exchange more effective.
The ninth meeting of the Joint Steering Committee (JSC) of Energy Secretaries of the two countries in Kathmandu on Thursday discussed and agreed on the issues of under-construction and proposed cross-border transmission lines, Arun III hydropower, and inter-country electricity import and export.
The meeting was chaired by Devendra Karki, Secretary at the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Nepal and co-chaired by Alok Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Power, Government of India.
The secretary-level Joint Steering Committee approved the agreements reached in the Joint Secretary-level working group that convened on Wednesday.
The Joint Secretary-level meeting was attended by Chiranjeevi Chataut, Joint Secretary of the ministry on behalf of Nepal and Ghanshyam Prasad, Joint Secretary of the power ministry on behalf of India on Wednesday.
Nepal and India have agreed to construct mega hydropower projects through a joint investment, said a press statement of the Ministry issued after the meeting.
As per the agreement, a joint technical team comprising 2-3 members each from both the countries will be formed to carry out the study to develop large hydropower projects between Nepal and India.
It has been agreed to increase the import and export capacity of the first cross-border Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur 400 kV transmission line from 350 MW to 600 MW.