India Approves Nepal's Request for 654 MW Electricity Import

The government of India has granted approval for Nepal to import approximately 654 MW of peak electricity through power exchanges. This import is restricted to non-solar hours and is effective from September. Nepal had sought these advance import approvals to address generation deficits, which were exacerbated by recent flash floods.

This approval coincides with unusually high domestic power demand in India, with peak demand exceeding 260 GW in September. Factors contributing to India's increased demand include sultry weather, irrigation needs during a dry monsoon, and reduced wind and hydroelectric generation due to the El Nino effect. While solar hours meet India's overall power demand, non-solar hours have strained coal and gas-based power plants.

The request for increased power flow to Nepal was processed within established frameworks, including trade through day-ahead and real-time market segments of Indian power exchanges. Traditionally, Nepal imports electricity from India during the lean winter months starting in October. Flash floods in Nepal on August 26 caused significant damage to power generation units, reducing domestic capacity by approximately 550 MW. Cross-border power flow from Nepal to India has also decreased by about 400 MW from previous peak export levels.

Punjab Faces Power Shortage Amidst Central Pool Deficit and Private Thermal Plant Coal Issues

Punjab is currently receiving 1,051 MW less power than its allocated share from the Central Power Pool. This deficit is impacting the state's electricity supply, which is crucial for its agricultural sector and overall economy.

Tarunpreet Singh Sond, Punjab's Power and Public Works Minister, has communicated with the Union Power Minister to address this shortfall and ensure Punjab receives its full share. Sond clarified that thermal power plants owned by the Punjab Government have adequate coal reserves, attributing this to the operationalization of the Pachhwara coal mine.

However, private thermal power plants, including those at Talwandi Sabo and Rajpura, are experiencing coal supply issues. Coal India is responsible for supplying coal to these private facilities. Efforts are underway to restore units at these private plants to mitigate the power shortage.

Odisha Secures Investment Proposals Exceeding ₹2.43 Lakh Crore During UAE Outreach

The Odisha government has secured investment proposals exceeding ₹2.43 lakh crore during a three-day investment outreach in the United Arab Emirates. The initiative, led by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, resulted in 24 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and investment intents following 32 one-to-one investor meetings and round-table engagements in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. If implemented, these projects are projected to generate employment for more than 6.18 lakh people in Odisha.

The investment proposals span diverse sectors, including critical minerals and rare earths, metals and mining, and aluminium and steel downstream industries. The outreach concluded with the Odisha Investors' Meet-UAE 2026 in Dubai, which saw participation from approximately 400 business leaders and investors. Notable agreements include an MoU by CAZBAA Project Ventures FZCO for LNG storage and another by Rana Holdings Limited covering green energy, AI data centers, and rare earths. PTCL Infrastructure also entered an agreement for steel and steel downstream industries.