The potential power outage has become the talk of the town and a matter of growing concern among ordinary people after Energy Minister Deepak Khadka confirmed the return of power cuts while addressing the National Assembly meeting on Wednesday. Public anxiety persists even as the government formally requested India on Thursday to supply 230 MW of electricity during evening hours. The Ministry of Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation made the request through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which reportedly conveyed it to the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu. The request for the power supply during the peak hours comes at a time when the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) is rationing electricity by cutting power supply to industries during peak hours, mainly in the evening. As water levels in major rivers continue to recede and power generation declines with the dry season reaching its peak, there is growing concern that households too will face power outages.
The request to India to allow additional power supply comes amid NEA’s increasing load-shedding for industries. Specifically, NEA has asked India to supply an additional 230 MW of electricity between 6 PM and 10 PM. Nepal currently imports 830 MW of power from India during off-peak hours, while domestic production stands at around 1,000 MW. Given the growing demand, power cuts in households during the evening appear inevitable if there is no additional supply from the external sources. At present, Nepal’s industrial sector faces up to 12 hours of daily load-shedding. Although Nepal imports over 700 MW of electricity from India daily, India has limited its supply to the 6 AM to 6 PM window, significantly affecting industries. Reports suggest India has responded positively to Nepal’s latest request. We can be hopeful that the potential power cuts in the domestic sector will eventually be averted this year. The most important thing, however, is to find the lasting solution to the problem.
Tapping into the sun
It may be noted that the root of the problem lies in Nepal’s over-reliance on ‘run-of-the-river’ hydropower projects, which drastically reduce production to around 1,000 MW during the dry season. Recognizing this, Nepal has prioritized large-scale reservoir-based hydropower projects to ensure long-term energy stability. However, the current crisis has been exacerbated by damage to the 456 MW Upper Tamakoshi Project, which has come into operation only partially. It is crucial for the relevant authorities to expedite repair and maintenance work on the project to bring it a full-fledged operation. While the government has prioritized the reservoir-based Budhi Gandaki Project, progress has been sluggish and requires urgent acceleration. In addition, the government must also focus on developing alternative energy sources such as solar and wind power, which could supplement the electricity supply, especially during the dry season when hydropower output significantly drops. It is high time Nepal works seriously to achieve the objectives of the Energy Development Roadmap to ensure long-term strategy for energy self-reliance and implement it with a sense of urgency—not only to meet domestic demand but also to position Nepal as an energy exporter, generating much-needed revenue for the country.