The parliamentary committee has instructed the government to initiate legal procedures for the purpose within six months.[break]
The report prepared by a 12-member subcommittee, headed by UCPN (Maoist) leader Lokendra Bista Magar, and endorsed by the full committee said all the transmission lines in the country would come under the jurisdiction of the proposed company.
“Take initiatives to develop the 400-kilovolt transmission line covering hills and Tarai regions, including the proposed mid-hill highway, on public-private partnership,” read the report. It has instructed the government to amend the existing laws to pave way for the construction of transmission line linking the generation houses to the national grid by independent companies based on build, operate and transfer or on build and transfer model.
The committee has suggested the energy ministry to take initiatives to connect China through transmission line. “Take necessary initiatives at the diplomatic and political levels to explore the possibility of constructing the first Nepal-China cross-border transmission line from the Rasuwagadhi hydroelectric project site -- being developed by Chilime Hydroelectric Company -- to Kerung of China,” read the report.
On trading of electricity, it has proposed to set up an independent Power Trading Company of Nepal (PTC-Nepal). The company will be entrusted with the responsibility of exporting and importing energy to and from neighboring countries and to promote inter-country power trade in accordance with the country´s national energy policy.
Yet another proposal by the parliamentary panel is to transform the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) into a holding company of other separate companies for generation, transmission and distribution of power.
At present, NEA is the sole public utility that looks after transmission, distribution and trading apart from generation of power.
“After several rounds of discussions, we came up with a conclusion that the NEA is overburdened with responsibilities. Therefore, we directed the government to form separate bodies for transmission, generation and trading of power,” subcommittee coordinator Magar told Republica.
Also, the parliamentary committee has instructed the government to prepare a comprehensive 50-year national energy security plan, 25-year national energy plan and five-year periodic energy plan with a view to ensuring an appropriate plan on electricity generation, trade, security and proper use of electricity in future.
The energy ministry will prepare the plans and submit it to parliament for endorsement. “It is a policy departure. Earlier, parliament formulated laws and the ministries prepared plans and policies in accordance with the acts,” NC leader Gagan Thapa, who is also a subcommittee member, told Republica.
“In the past, policies prepared by the ministries weren´t endorsed by the House but this time around we suggested that parliament endorse it so as to reflect a uniformity in the political parties´ policies vis-à-vis water resources.” He said once the policies get ratified in parliament, leadership changes in the government or ministry wouldn´t affect the country´s long-term policies.
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