Electricity demand hits record 1,813 MW on Laxmi Puja; 587 MW exported

The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) said nationwide electricity demand reached around 1,813 MW on the evening of Laxmi Puja. Demand on the national system peaked at 6:15 pm on Sunday, when around 2,400 MW was being generated domestically.

After meeting domestic demand, the surplus of around 587 MW was exported to India.

According to the authority, demand on last year's Laxmi Puja was around 1,745 MW, meaning this year's demand was about 68 MW higher. Demand in the Kathmandu Valley also rose, from around 402 MW last year to about 489 MW this year.

Of the total generation, the largest share, around 1,536 MW, came from private sector projects. The authority noted that there was no need to import electricity from India during this period and that supply disruption on the system was zero.

The authority said demand was met even though natural disasters had damaged generation and transmission systems. Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Minister Birajbhakta Shrestha visited the Load Dispatch Centre in Syuchatar to review the supply situation, calling the ability to meet demand under difficult conditions a positive achievement and thanking staff, management and consumers.