Dedicated trunk line dispute: NEA to issue final warning, to disconnect power supply for non-payment

KATHMANDU, Sept 19: The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) is set to issue a final warning to industries that have not paid their bills for dedicated feeder and trunk line services. If the outstanding amounts are not settled, power supplies will be cut off, warned the state-owned power utility.

A senior NEA official said that the final notice will be sent out in the first week of October, giving industries one last chance to pay their dues.

Recently, NEA re-connected the lines of six industries under the condition that they pay their dues within three months. However, the payments have not been made. The NEA had earlier demanded Rs 6.6 billion in overdue tariffs and a 25 percent penalty, giving industries a 15-day deadline on June 10. When the industries did not pay, NEA disconnected their power in the second week of July.

Following a change in government, the affected industries lobbied Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, who criticized NEA’s managing director, Kulman Ghising, for the disconnection. On July 19, Oli ordered the restoration of power.

NEA restored the power on July 23 under the condition that dues must be paid within three months. Now, NEA is preparing to send a final reminder to ensure payment, warning that failure to comply will result in power disconnection.