Nepal plans to develop 30,000MW of electricity by 2035 as the market for Nepal''s hydropower is opening up in India and Bangladesh.
The Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Shakti Bahadur Basnet said on Tuesday that the government was preparing to come up with a comprehensive energy development programme supported by a concrete action plan for the next 12 years.
"Under this programme, we aim to produce electricity in the range of 25,000MW-30,000MW of electricity by 2035," Minister Basnet said while speaking at the foundation laying ceremony for the construction of the construction of 216MW Upper Trishuli-1 Hydroelectric Project on Tuesday.
He said Nepal''s own electricity demand is expected to reach 15,000MW in the next 12 years. Besides development of hydropower projects, the roadmap will also involve constructing required transmission and distribution facilities and institutional reforms as well, according to him.
According to Nepal Electricity Authority, the country''s existing generation capacity is around 2,800MW. "Several projects with combined capacity of around 5000MW are under construction," the minister said. Pointing at India''s announcement, made during Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal''s visit to India recently, to buy 10,000 MW over a 10-year period, he said that Nepal sought more foreign investment in the sector.
Minister Basnet, who laid the foundation stone for the development of the project remotely from Kathmandu, praised South Korean investment in the 216MW Upper Trishuli-1 Hydroelectric Project saying that it is a significant high quality investment in Nepal''s hydropower sector.
Nepal Water and Energy Development Company, a joint venture between Nepal and South Korea is developing the project located at Dhunche in Rasuwa district, 70km north of Kathmandu.
In 2022, the company completed its financial closure for the project where it plans to invest as much as $647.4 million to develop the mega hydroelectric project.
South Korean companies have 75 percent stake in the equity of the company while International Finance Corporation (IFC), has 15 percent stake and Nepal local partner has 10 percent stake, according to the joint venture company.
The joint venture company is the first-ever private company with which the energy ministry signed a project development agreement in December 2016. Since the entry of Korean South East Co, a South Korean company involved in renewable energy, in 2011, it took another 12 years to start the actual construction.
Speaking during the event, South Korean Ambassador to Nepal Park Tae-Young said Upper Trishuli-1 is the third hydropower project in Nepal that got financing from South Korea. Chameliya and Modi Khola are other two projects completed earlier with South Korean funding.
Construction of Upper Trishuli-1 is expected to be completed in the next five years, which is a run-of-river type project. The project built under Build, Own, Operate and Transfer modality will come under the ownership of the Nepal government after 30 years.
Prithvi Man Shrestha was a political reporter for The Kathmandu Post, covering the governance-related issues including corruption and irregularities in the government machinery. Before joining The Kathmandu Post in 2009, he worked at nepalnews and Rising Nepal primarily covering the issues of political and economic affairs for three years.
The much-delayed 102MW Middle Bhotekoshi hydropower project has reached the electricity generation stage, with project officials expecting to supply to the grid within a month.
The four-year project in the Sindhupalchok district, developed by Madhya Bhotekoshi Jalavidyut Company Limited, a Chilime Hydropower Company Limited subsidiary, started in January 2013 and has had one of the longest hydel construction periods in Nepal''s history.
A team led by State Minister Purna Bahadur Tamang and Kulman Ghising, managing director of the Nepal Electricity Authority, visited the project site on Saturday and instructed the project officials and contractors to produce power within a month.
According to project officials, two kilometres of the 4 km transmission line connecting the power station''s switchyard at Barhabise Municipality 5 to the NEA substation in Barhabise Municipality Ward 3 has been completed following an August agreement with the local residents.
The locals delayed the construction of power lines by 14 months. The dispute was settled after the project agreed on appropriate compensation for land affected by the transmission line.
Energy Minister Deepak Khadka, along with State Minister Tamang, the energy secretary, and power utility chief Ghising, reached an agreement with the locals on August 30 to speed up the transmission line construction.
According to project officials, the construction of the 220 kV single-circuit transmission line is expected to be completed before Dashain.
Officials said the dam is now being tested. The main tunnel, measuring 7.12 kilometres, was filled with water for testing in mid-March last year. When a leakage was detected, repairs were made to a section of the tunnel.
According to the project, civil works at the power station have been completed, and the dry testing of the electromechanical equipment is ongoing. Weight tests will start once water flows through the tunnel.
The officials said that if things go as planned, all remaining works will be completed within a month for power generation.
A temporary arrangement is in place to evacuate electricity from the Middle Bhotekoshi project.
Power will be delivered to the Barhabise substation via a 200 kV transmission line, then to the 132 kV line for distribution.
Shiva Shree Hydropower, the 22MW Upper Chaku A Hydropower Project promoter, is working on the 132 kV transmission line connecting the Barhabise substation. It aims to complete the facility before Dashain.
The 102MW project''s survey licence for power generation was awarded on April 8, 2011, and the connection agreement for power evacuation was signed with the Nepal Electricity Authority on August 25, 2011. The power purchase agreement (PPA) was signed on November 14, 2011.
Likewise, a tripartite loan agreement between the Employees Provident Fund, Chilime Hydropower Company Limited and the company was signed on December 8, 2011.
The Civil and Hydromechanical work contract was awarded to Guangxi Hydroelectric Construction Bureau, and the Electro-Mechanical Contract was to Andritz Hydro Private Limited in association with Trade Link International.
Similarly, the transmission line works contract was awarded to Urja-AC JV on July 27, 2018.
Construction work on the 102MW project in Sindhupalchok began in early 2014, and it was expected to start churning out electricity by December 2016.
However, the project missed the completion deadlines due to natural disasters, land compensation issues and delays by the civil and hydro mechanical contractor Guangxi Hydroelectric Construction Bureau.
The completion deadline for the run-of-the-river project was extended till November 2020.
About Kathmandu electricity generation
As the photovoltaic (PV) industry continues to evolve, advancements in Kathmandu electricity generation have become critical to optimizing the utilization of renewable energy sources. From innovative battery technologies to intelligent energy management systems, these solutions are transforming the way we store and distribute solar-generated electricity.
When you're looking for the latest and most efficient Kathmandu electricity generation for your PV project, our website offers a comprehensive selection of cutting-edge products designed to meet your specific requirements. Whether you're a renewable energy developer, utility company, or commercial enterprise looking to reduce your carbon footprint, we have the solutions to help you harness the full potential of solar energy.
By interacting with our online customer service, you'll gain a deep understanding of the various Kathmandu electricity generation featured in our extensive catalog, such as high-efficiency storage batteries and intelligent energy management systems, and how they work together to provide a stable and reliable power supply for your PV projects.
