Floods damage Nepal's hydropower, prompting advance power import request from India

Heavy monsoon floods swept through several river valleys in Nepal this week, inundating low‑lying hydropower sites and damaging turbines, spillways and transmission lines. Preliminary assessments by the Nepal Electricity Authority indicate a noticeable drop in generation capacity, though exact figures are still being compiled.

In response, Nepal’s Ministry of Energy has formally approached the Indian government, seeking an advance allocation of electricity under the existing power purchase agreement. The request aims to secure a short‑term supply that can be dispatched before the usual monthly schedule, helping to stabilise the national grid as repairs are undertaken.

Both countries have a long‑standing energy trade, with India regularly importing surplus power from Nepal. Officials said the advance import, if approved, would be routed through the existing cross‑border transmission corridors, and that India remains open to facilitating the arrangement to support regional energy security.