Conversations: Sagar Prasai offers a Political Economy of Electricity Market in India and Beyond

Ep. Co#004

Nepal’s hydropower narrative has always had the export of electricity to India as one of the key components. In this episode of PxP:Conversations, Saumitra Neupane and Sagar Prasai discuss how the Indian electricity market gets featured in Nepal’s hydropower imagination, the impact that this has had on Nepal’s ability to exploit its hydropower potential, and what differentiates the Nepali model from that of other bilateral arrangements such as those between India and Bhutan. They also examine India’s policy positions in the last ten years on cross-border electricity trade and how regional rivalry between India and China is complicating energy markets in South Asia. They also discuss the future market opportunities for Nepali hydropower and whether there are longer-term trends that support supply signals and investor confidence for Nepali hydropower. They end their conversation with a discussion on the possibilities of markets beyond India, primarily Bangladesh but also China, and evaluate whether there are realistic opportunities on these fronts.

Sagar Prasai is a development professional with over two decades of experience working in the areas of water, energy, climate issues, and regional cooperation in South Asia. He is currently based in Nepal and provides advisory services to various organizations, including The Asia Foundation and the Australian Government’s DFAT. Previously, he served as The Asia Foundation’s country representative in India. He has a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

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