Though the NEA has already started supplying electricity for 12 hours a day in many places it will take some more days to publish the new power cut routine, NEA officials said.
“We are planning to bring down load-shedding to 12 hours a day as soon as possible but we are not sure when exactly will we be able to officially declare it,” NEA Managing Director Uttar Kumar Shrestha told myrepublica.com. [break]
The 70 MW Middle Marsyangdi Hydroelectric Project has started generating 42 MW from this week. One of the two units of the project was brought into operation in the second week of January, a month after Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal inaugurated the project. The unit produced about 35 MW.
This week, the project tested another unit of the project. “The test for altogether 42 MW has been successful,” Shrestha said.
The run-of-the-river project cannot continuously produce 70 MW, its installed capacity, during the dry season owing to low water levels in the river.
Earlier this month, the NEA added about 15 MW power in its grid by enforcing load-shedding in the areas where President Dr Ram Baran Yadav and Vice President Parmananda Jha live. The residences of the president and vice president are supplied power through generators.
Also, the NEA enforced load-shedding in Maharajgunj area after making special arrangement for the TU Teaching Hospital and other hospitals in the area. Earlier the authority used to provide round-the-clock power supply in Maharajgunj area.
According to Shrestha, electricity demand is gradually decreasing also because of growing trend of using compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) at homes. Also the use of freeze, air conditioners and other electrical home appliances have decreased, he said.
But, the water level in the rivers is still in receding trend. “Therefore, we are not certain when we will be able to continue with 12 hours per day load-shedding,” Shrestha said, adding, “Which is why we have not published the new schedule yet.”
Related story
Come
-1782782519.webp)
