India Powers Nepal Through Flood Crisis, 654 MW Supply Cleared Till December

New Delhi: India has approved electricity supplies to Nepal for 18 hours a day until December 31, offering critical energy support after catastrophic flash floods damaged hydropower infrastructure and sharply reduced domestic generation.

The Ministry of Power has authorised exports to the Nepal Electricity Authority, providing the Himalayan nation with additional electricity as it grapples with widespread disruption to its power system.

Up To 654 MW Approved

Under the arrangement, India can export up to 600 MW through the Muzaffarpur-Dhalkebar 400 kV double-circuit transmission line and another 54 MW through the Tanakpur-Mahendranagar 132 kV single-circuit link.

The quantum of electricity exports from January 2027 will be reviewed in December, the government said.

The floods have inflicted significant damage on Nepal’s hydropower infrastructure, eroding domestic generation capacity and creating an additional electricity requirement.

India said the approval would help Nepal bridge the immediate power deficit while reinforcing longstanding bilateral energy cooperation.

Humanitarian Support Intensifies

New Delhi has also stepped up humanitarian assistance, dispatching relief supplies and personnel for search, rescue and forensic operations. Indian Air Force aircraft have transported emergency material to Kathmandu.

Specialised equipment sent by India includes mud-rescue suits, gas detectors, breathing apparatus, inflatable walkways, portable generators, lighting towers and dewatering pumps.

DNA kits, reagents and profiling equipment have also been supplied to support identification of victims.

Disaster Toll Mounts

The death toll from the flash floods has climbed to 1,386, while about 5,130 people remain missing across the affected regions.

The disaster was triggered by an ice-rock avalanche near the Nepal-Tibet border on August 26, devastating settlements across northern and central Nepal.

Authorities said 104 recovered bodies have been identified and handed over to families.

Search and rescue operations remain under way, with security forces having rescued more than 13,700 people. Another 339 people are receiving hospital treatment as Nepal confronts the enormous human and infrastructure cost of the disaster.