Power cuts in Nepal have reached 10 hours a day. Signs are that there will be darker days ahead for the people this dry season. Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has warned of at least 18 to 19 hours daily load-shedding in the capital alone as water level continues to recede in the rivers. Hospitals, nursing homes, businesses, schools, television stations, among others, will be hard-hit by the power outrage. The cold waves have taken a heavy toll on the lives of people in the Tarai. Electricity crisis will only aggravate their troubles.
Nepal produces less than half its electricity needs, despite massive hydro-power potential. Currently, the NEA generates 300 megawatts of electricity against the actual demand of 800 Mw, which is rising by 10 percent annually. Less than half of the population is connected to the national grid and power has to be imported from India, which is itself struggling to overcome its own power shortage. The northern grid of India is at present faced with a shortage of 1800 Mw. Although Nepal and India are now working to speed up infrastructure reinforcement for power export to Nepal, the process is said to take at least six months. Thus there does not seem to be any immediate respite for Nepalis fated live in the dark.
Needless to say, problem of power cut is deepening each year. Besides the load-shedding, the problems of leakage and theft of electricity through illegal connections have posed a challenge for the authority to manage power distribution. Worse still, government agencies seem incapable of stopping such menaces. Past governments proved weak in taking stock of the situation and pushing for major hydro-electric projects. Not to forget, the decade-long civil conflict prevented major foreign investments in Nepal´s power sector. Also, the country´s power supply was badly affected after the destruction of transmission lines during the Koshi floods in 2008.
Given these grim realities, power sector development seems possible only through a greater political will and implementation of a strong national water management policy. We urgently need few reservoir type hydro-power projects in Nepal as almost all ongoing hydro-electric projects, save for Kulekhani, are of run-of-river types. While political parties must rise above petty interests to strike consensus on water policy and issue of FDI in this sector, the state authorities must capitalize the tremendous international support from the organizations, such as World Bank and International Monetary Fund, to alleviate power crisis. India and China are both keen to develop mega projects in Nepal. Nepal needs to take initiatives to address its problems and advocate for bilateral joint-mechanisms workable in our context. Experts and economists must be mobilized for this and a viable model must be designed at the earliest. We cannot wait any more, the problem must be addressed, and now.
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