Govt wants hydel projects to complete before their deadline

Kathmandu / Jan 24: The government has asked the stakeholders to complete all the under-construction hydropower projects before their deadline in order to increase internal production and end load-shedding across Nepal.

In its 37-point action plan, the Ministry of Energy has further said it aims at producing an additional 200 MW electricity within this fiscal year.

So far in the current fiscal year, 112 MW electricity from the Hewa ‘A’ Hydroelectricity Project in Panchthar has been added to the national grid.

Energy Minister Janardan Sharma is hopeful of achieving the government’s target, given the fact that the MoE is helping to complete all under-construction hydropower projects before the deadline.

Currently, as many as 15 hydropower projects are under construction with private sector’s investment. When completed, they will generate a total of 990 MW electricity.

The government’s move to urge all under-construction hydropower projects to speed up construction work is taken as a positive impact on energy sector in the country. It also means to relieve people who are long suffering from load-shedding.

Spokesperson for the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) Prabal Adhikari said 380 MW electricity is needed to meet a total demand for 1,260 MW across the country.

Meanwhile, local residents of the Kathmandu Valley are currently enjoying regular power supply even in the winter season this year.

The import of electricity from India through Khimti-Dhalkebar transmission line has helped ease power outage in Kathmandu valley, Adhikari said.

The NEA plans to to import an additional 40 MW electricity from India from January 30, he informed. RSS