Login

Forget Password?
Login With Facebook
Don't Have An Account? Sign Up

Sign Up

Already Have An Account? Login
Read Our Privacy Policy
Back to Login
  • National
  • Politics
  • Valley
  • Opinion
  • Money
  • Sports
  • Culture & Lifestyle

  • National
    • Madhesh Province
    • Lumbini Province
    • Bagmati Province
    • National Security
    • Koshi Province
    • Gandaki Province
    • Karnali Province
    • Sudurpaschim Province
  • Politics
  • Valley
    • Kathmandu
    • Lalitpur
    • Bhaktapur
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • As it is
    • Letters
    • Editorial
    • Cartoon
  • Money
  • Sports
    • Cricket
    • Football
    • International Sports
  • Culture & Lifestyle
    • Arts
    • Brunch with the Post
    • Movies
    • Life & Style
    • Theater
    • Entertainment
    • Books
    • Fashion
  • Health
  • Food
    • Recipes
  • Travel
  • Investigations
  • Climate & Environment
  • World
  • Science & Technology
  • Interviews
  • Visual Stories
  • Crosswords & Sudoku
  • Horoscope
  • Forex
  • Corrections
  • Letters to the Editor
  • Today's ePaper
Sunday, July 27, 2025

Without Fear or FavourUNWIND IN STYLE

26.36°C Kathmandu
Air Quality in Kathmandu: 60
300+Hazardous
0-50Good
51-100Moderate
101-150Unhealty for Sensitive Groups
151-200Unhealthy
201-300Very Unhealthy
Sun, Jul 27, 2025
26.36°C Kathmandu
Air Quality in Kathmandu: 60
  • What's News :

  • Open-air jet repair
  • Nepal’s para-fighters
  • Court intervention in lawmaking
  • Temporary bridge at Rasuwagadhi
  • Customs offices merge

Money

Hydropower project developers present wish list to minister

Private developers of hydropower projects have asked the government to address obstacles hampering their operations like delays in getting forest clearance, difficulties in obtaining explosives required for blasting rocks, and delays in the construction of power lines to evacuate the electricity generated. Hydropower project developers present wish list to minister
bookmark
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • Whatsapp
  • mail
Bibek Subedi
Published at : March 14, 2019
Updated at : March 14, 2019 09:25
Kathmandu

Private developers of hydropower projects have asked the government to address obstacles hampering their operations like delays in getting forest clearance, difficulties in obtaining explosives required for blasting rocks, and delays in the construction of power lines to evacuate the electricity generated.

Speaking at an interaction organised by the Energy Ministry on Wednesday, which brought together developers of the 35 hydropower projects with an installed capacity of 25 MW or above which have signed power purchase agreements with the Nepal Electricity Authority, they asked the ministry to deal with the problems immediately.

According to Sailendra Guragain, president of the Independent Power Producers’ Association, Nepal, one of the major problems power project developers are facing is the delay in the construction of transmission line corridors by the Nepal Electricity Authority, the state-owned power utility.

“At least one project located on every corridor is nearing completion, but the power lines being constructed by the power utility are nowhere near completion,” said Guragain who participated in the interaction. “There is a high risk of the electricity being spilled over due to lack of such lines to transmit it into the national grid.”  

Privately-owned Hewa Khola Hydropower Project is already losing out on Rs200 million in revenue annually as it can’t feed the electricity it generates into the national grid for lack of adequate transmission lines. The 15 MW plant located in Panchthar in eastern Nepal produces electricity worth Rs450 million annually, but its entire output cannot be transferred to the national grid over the existing 33 kV power line.

The Hewa Khola plant had planned on evacuating its electricity to the national grid over the Kabeli Corridor Transmission Line being developed by the power utility, but it has been forced to bear massive losses due to delays in the completion of the power line.

Participants also complained that delays in getting forest clearance from the authorities concerned were also hurting project development. “Getting approval to cut down trees is a cumbersome task which is pushing back the construction date of hydropower projects,” said Guragain.

Another problem pointed out by developers of power projects in the country is the hassle of obtaining explosives required for blasting rocks. “Till this date, we have been relying on explosives imported from India, and very often we face difficulties in getting such materials,” said Guragain. “We ask the government to move to produce such materials in the country so that project developers can obtain them easily.”

The participants also complained about obstructions they are facing from locals at the construction site. “Incidents of obstruction are increasing recently,” he said. “The government must work to create a safe environment for us to carry out our job.”     

Addressing the interaction, Energy Minister Barsha Man Pun said the ministry was serious about solving the problems faced by power plant developers.

“From the time I assumed office, I have been trying to expedite the construction of key transmission line projects, and I have directed the authorities concerned to terminate the contracts of slowpoke contractors,” said Pun. “I have also initiated talks with the Forest Ministry to resolve the forest clearance issue.”


Bibek Subedi


Related News

Nepal’s top revenue-generating customs offices merge
‘Selling EVs is to help laying foundation for a sustainable future’
Ncell Crorepati scheme marks a rare turn of fortune for Parbati Karki
FDI pledges to Nepal inch up 5 percent amid policy tweaks
NEPSE this week
AmCham Nepal, US Department of Commerce host high-level webinar to boost ICT Trade

Most Read from Money

Wrong speed, unsafe cargo and lax safety caused Saurya crash
Kailash pilgrims breathe new life into Nepal’s mountain economy
US-Bangla ordered to pay full damages for 2018 fatal crash
Chure belt turns into tourist hotspot amid conservation concerns
Nepal’s foreign trade hits Rs2 trillion, driven by edible oil re-export boom

Editor's Picks

Kailash pilgrims breathe new life into Nepal’s mountain economy
Pressure groups are dictating lawmaking
Indians paying by QR in Nepal for a year but Nepalis still lack access in India
UML weighs binning age, term limits amid Oli-Bhandari rivalry
Law in the works to check officials’ conflict of interest

E-PAPER | July 27, 2025

  • Read ePaper Online
×
ABOUT US
  • About the Post
  • Masthead
  • Editorial Standards & Integrity
  • Workplace Harassment Policy
  • Privacy Policy
READ US
  • Home Delivery
  • ePaper
CONTACT US
  • Write for the Post
  • Letters to the Editor
  • Advertise in the Post
  • Work for the Post
  • Send us a tip
INTERACT WITH US
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
OUR SISTER PUBLICATIONS
  • eKantipur
  • saptahik
  • Nepal
  • Nari
  • Radio Kantipur
  • Kantipur TV
© 2025 www.kathmandupost.com
  • Privacy Policy
Top