Nepal is bracing for significant electricity shortages and will likely turn to India for power imports after a catastrophic glacier collapse in the high Himalayas triggered flash floods that crippled its vital hydroelectric infrastructure. The disaster, which also led to a confirmed death toll of 359 with over 1,300 people still missing across affected regions and into neighboring Tibet, has severely impacted the nation's energy grid.
According to a Bloomberg report, the deluge damaged nearly 360 megawatts (MW) of power capacity, primarily hydro, representing roughly 8% of Nepal's total generation. Nine operational hydroelectric facilities across two districts bore the brunt of the floodwaters. Additionally, a 25 MW solar plant and five under-construction projects with a combined capacity of 390 MW were also affected. Hydropower accounts for over 90% of Nepal's 4,300 MW grid capacity.
Nepal Seeks Emergency Power from India
Shaligram Bhandari, a spokesman for Nepal's energy ministry, confirmed the extensive damage. "Repair teams are working to resume power supplies, but Nepal may need to turn to India to bridge shortages in the meantime," Bhandari stated, as cited in the Bloomberg report.
This structural damage poses a significant threat to the landlocked nation's established seasonal power trade dynamics. Traditionally, Nepal exports excess hydroelectricity to India during the wet summer months, leveraging its abundant river resources. Conversely, it imports power from India during the winter when freezing rivers curtail domestic output.
Disruption to Regional Power Trade
In the six months leading up to November 2025, Nepal had supplied 600 MW of continuous power to its neighbor, with plans to export an additional 500 MW this year. The current crisis will undoubtedly disrupt these arrangements, shifting Nepal from an exporter to a net importer in the immediate future.
The incident, where floodwaters roared through a Nepalese valley near the Chinese border, tearing through infrastructure and inundating villages, has intensified scrutiny on the expansion of energy infrastructure within the fragile Himalayan range. While glacial rivers offer immense potential for carbon-free energy, large-scale dam projects face escalating risks from climate-driven extreme weather events, highlighting the urgent need for resilient and sustainable development strategies in the region.