First solar micro-grids project inaugurated

Okhaldhunga / March 13: Minister for Environment and Population Biswendra Pawan has said Nepal people could be made self-reliant on energy within six months if its vast potentials were impetuously tapped for development.

Inaugurating the 31-KW solar micro-grid constructed on the collective efforts of various organizations and local community in Harkapur VDC, Minister Paswan urged donor agencies and financial institutions to flow investment in promoting alternative energy to the access of rural people through decentralized energy system.

He stressed the need to switch over to economic agendas from political ones to drive the country to prosperity as the constitution has paved the way to that end.

Lawmaker Ramhari Khatiwada spoke the importance of expanding such micro-grids to other parts of the district to serve the objective of materializing access to energy for all.

Executive Director of Alternative Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC) Ram Prasad Dhital said that focus is being laid on increasing people’s access to electricity in rural areas through alternative energy technologies where there is no electricity facility.

With the completion of the project, as many as 42 households of Harkapur VDC will get electricity facility while 16 enterprises can be run in the area from its energy.

The project was funded through the contribution of local community investors, Gham Power, grants from Asian Development Bank and DON Foundation and bank loan from NMB Bank. RSS