The power ministry on Wednesday said India has become a net exporter of electricity for the first time in the April 2016 to February 2017 financial year. Over 5,700 million units were exported to Bangladesh, Nepal and Myanmar, 213 million units more than the 5,585 million units imported from Bhutan, the power ministry said in a statement.

Exports to Nepal increased by 2.5 times and Bangladesh by 2.8 times. “The export of power to Nepal further increased by around 145 MW with commissioning of Muzaffarpur (India)–Dhalkhebar (Nepal) 400kV line in 2016,” it said. With the 132 kV line between Katiya in Bihar and Kusaha in Nepal, the export of power to Nepal is expected to increase by 145 MW.

The export to Bangladesh increased with the commissioning of the first cross border interconnections between India’s Berhampur and Bangladesh’s Bheraamra at 400 kV in September 2013. “At present around 600 MW power is being exported to Bangladesh,” the statement added.

On an average, India imports around 5,000-5,500 million units of power from Bhutan. Since the mid-eighties, “India has been importing power from Bhutan and marginally exporting to Nepal”, the statement said.