Hydropower generation saw an increase of 12% between January and February this year compared to the same period in 2024. The overall generation was recorded at 660.6 million units in the months of January and February this year as compared to 589.7 million units of electricity in the same period of last year.
Import of electricity into the country subsequently reduced in the first two months of this year as compared to the same months last year.
In the first two months this year, Bhutan imported 194 million units of electricity, while the country imported 689 million units of electricity in the same months last year, a reduction in electricity imports by 490 million units.
The country spent around Nu 3B last year in electricity import, while it is only Nu 639M this year.
The increase in power generation is attributed to the increased electricity production by Tala Hydropower Plant (THP) and Chhukha Hydropower Plant (CHP).
THP produced 251million units in the first two months of 2025, while it was 224.7 million units in the same months of last year, an increase by 26.3 million units.
The electricity production by CHP increased by 11.1 million units in January and February this year as compared to the same months of last year.
The country generated revenue worth Nu 212 million (M) from the export sales of power for the first two months of 2025, while in the same period last year, the country generated around Nu 132 M, an increase of revenue generation by about Nu 80M from the export of power.
Similarly, the country generated revenue worth about Nu 1.14 billion (B) from the domestic sales of power for the first two months this year while in the same period of last year, the country generated around Nu 1.08B, an increase of revenue generation by about Nu 0.06B from the domestic sales of power.
In the month of January this year, a total of 371.8 million units of power were generated while in the same period last year, 313.2 million units of power were generated.
Similarly in the month of February a total of 288.8 million units of power was generated, while last year in the same month, the power generation was 276.5 million units.
January this year generated the highest revenue of Nu 114.3M, while the country generated Nu 97.8M in the month of February this year. Similarly, in the year 2024 Nu 60.5M was generated in the month of January while Nu 71.1M was generated in the month of February.
The five hydropower plants that generated revenue and power for the first two months include THP, Mangdechhu Hydropower Plant (MHP), CHP, Dagachhu Hydropower Corporation (DHPC) and Kurichhu Hydropower Plant (KHP).
Meanwhile, as a crucial national resource for Bhutan which significantly contributes to the economic growth and revenue generation, the government has recognized the importance of hydropower and is committed to accelerating investments in the sector to enhance energy security, support domestic industries, and diversify the economy.
This commitment from the government involves initiating new large-scale hydropower projects outlined in the 13th Five Year Plan. The government also plans to develop advanced energy storage systems and upgrade related infrastructure to ensure the hydropower sector remains efficient and capable of meeting future energy demands. Overall, Bhutan aims to leverage hydropower as a foundational element of its broader economic strategy.
Sherab Dorji from Thimphu
