The government has appointed Kul Man Ghising as managing director of the Nepal Electricity Authority. This marks Ghising’s return to the power utility 11 months after his exit.

“The Cabinet on Monday decided to appoint Ghising as managing director of the authority,” confirmed Madhu Prasad Bhetuwal, spokesperson for the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation. “I am not sure for how long he has been appointed.”

Ghising is credited for ridding the country of prolonged power cuts, up to 18 hours a day, and converting the loss-making state-owned entity into a profit-making body during his previous stint from 2016 to 2020. The power utility which was incurring a net loss of Rs8 billion in 2015-16 had managed to make a profit of Rs11.6 billion in 2019-20

His return to the electricity authority comes at a time when Nepal is trying to increase domestic consumption of power and sell surplus energy.

After his term expired in September last year, there was expectation that the then KP Sharma Oli government would give an extension.

However, the erstwhile Oli-led government appointed Shakya as acting managing director of the power utility in November before promoting him to the post of managing director in February this year.

Shakya has now been transferred to the Water and Energy Commission as an expert.

“As per the Cabinet decision, Shakya will get the honour and facilities of a special class civil servant as an expert at the commission,” said Bhetuwal. “He has been appointed to the post for four years.”

The primary responsibility of the commission secretariat is to assist the government, different ministries relating to water resources and other related agencies in the formulation of policies and planning of projects in the water and energy resources sector.