Procurement decisions include procurement of all construction works and supply of goods among others.
"The decision, which was taken on last Friday, authorizes the NEA management to clear pending procurement and financial agendas," Energy Secretary Suman Prasad Sharma, who also chairs the NEA board, said.
The board meeting was held after a hiatus of four months.
NEA officials say the decision was expected as the authority of making procurement decisions rests on the management as per the Public Procurement Act 2007. The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) had also directed the NEA board to do so. The previous board meeting chaired by then energy minister Radha Gyawali had decided that all procurement decisions shall be made by the board. Because of this, NEA has been failing to take important financial decisions on most of the undergoing projects, including Kulekhani III and Chamelia. Similarly, the process to procure essential equipment and sign power purchase agreement from projects built by private developers has also been affected.
The Gyawali-led board had also seized the authority of signing Power Purchase Agreement of up to 25 MW with independent power producers. But the board meeting held on last Friday did not take any decision on it. This means the board will have the final say on PPAs of any projects having capacity more than one megawatt.
The decision means NEA Managing Director Mukesh Raj Kafle will now have to take decisions on controversial issues like Solu Corridor and Chamelia's variation order of Rs 1.09 billion, among others.
NEA board used to convene at least twice a week in the past. Last Friday's board meeting was the first since then energy minister Radha Gyawali was sacked as per the direction of CIAA in October.
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