KATHMANDU, July 25: The Ministry of Energy (MoE) is working under a three-point strategy to address the acute electricity crisis facing the country. On its short-term plan, the government plans to import from India which will address the immediate electricity need and to generate at least 50 MW from thermal plants to be constructed under World Bank support. [break]
Similarly, the MoE will work towards optimizing the existing power houses and carryout regular maintenance, repair and upgrade the existing projects. Parallel to this, as part of its joint venture with the private sector, priority will be given to load management for which programs will be launched to popularize energy saving devices such as encouraging the use of compact florescent light (CFL) bulbs and implementing load limiting devices.
Speaking with reporters in Pharping on Saturday, Minister for Energy Dr Prakash Saran Mahat outlined these policies of the ministry. He said, "Priority will be given to import, generation from thermal plants, repair and maintenance and popularizing energy saving devices."
Towards this end, the MoE has initiated talks with India for importing 30 MW additional electricity (at present India has been providing 50 MW). A decision to this effect could be taken during the upcoming Power Exchange Meet in August.
Mahat further informed that the diesel-run thermal and multi-fuel plants once constructed will generate electricity up to 50 MW. Based in Hetauda, Marshyangdi and Biratnagar, the fossil fuel-run plants are operational mostly during the dry seasons (winter and spring) when hydropower generation from the country´s run-of-river projects drops to a minimum. The diesel-run plants currently generate a total of 28 MW of electricity.
In addition, Dr Mahat said that the private sector-initiated load limiting device has now been run on a trial basis at Kuleshwor area in Kathmandu to check its viability. "We encourage people to use CFLs and the NEA is running tests on energy saving devices in Kuleshwor," Mahat added.
Pharping Hydro-electric Project centenary celebration
The government also announced Saturday that it will observe the centenary of Nepal´s oldest hydro project, the Pharping Power House, and energy festival next year with the view to build a "live museum" in the Pharping Hydro-electric Project (PHP) site for which the required budget will be allocated in the next fiscal year.
Speaking at a program organized by the PHP and the Setidevi Educational Centre in Pharping Saturday, Minister Mahat said, "The PHP will be developed as a historic tourist destination with a live museum."
Addressing the concerns of the locals at the plight of the PHP, Dr Mahat said that initiatives will be taken to give continuity to the project.
Established in 1968 BS on the initiative of the then prime minister Chandra SJB Rana as the first power house in Nepal and second in Asia, Pharping generated up to 500 kilowatt through a reservoir. The reservoir water, collected from a stream in Setidevi VDC, where the project is situated, and from Basuki Kund flowing from Sheshnarayan temple, is now supplied to Lalitpur sub-metropolitan city.
akanshya@myrepublica.com
Related story
Multibillion-rupee strategy to revamp agriculture is disowned,...
