KATHMANDU, Dec 5: Nepal and Bangladesh have agreed to form a joint technical team for identifying hydropower projects to be built with the latter’s investment.

Both the countries agreed to appoint three representatives each in the committee within three months.

The two South Asian neighbors have also agreed to form another technical team for construction of cross-border transmission line. The committee will also have six members i.e. three representatives from each country.

The two-day first meeting of Joint Steering Committee (JSC) of Nepal and Bangladesh, which concluded on Tuesday, has also decided that both the countries will raise the matter of cross-border transmission line in the bilateral meetings with India and seek to form a trilateral mechanism to materialize the cross-border transmission line.

The bilateral technical committee will also review the long-term plans and policies of their respective counties on matters related to electricity trade. 

Nepal’s Energy Secretary Anup Kumar Upadhyay led the Nepali delegation in the meeting with the Bangladeshi delegation was led by Power Secretary of Bangladesh Ahamat Baikaus. 

The meeting also endorsed Bangladesh’s proposal to buy 500 MW of electricity generated by the Upper Karnali Hydropower Project. GMR, which is developing the project, and the Bangladeshi government.

A press release issued by the energy ministry also says that the Joint Steering Committee also endorsed a proposal to look for an investment opportunity in Nepal’s hydropower plants and explore the prospects of developing renewable energy as well develop cross-border transmission line between the two countries.

These bilateral meetings between the countries are held as per the agreement on energy signed by energy ministers of both countries in August.

 
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