By A Staff Reporter Kathmandu, May 25: The government is going to adopt the policy of constructing reservoir hydropower projects to ensure power supply round the year.
Presenting the policies and programmes for the fiscal year 2022/23, President Bidya Devi Bhandari said on Tuesday that the government would adopt a policy to construct reservoir-based hydropower projects, engage the private sector in electricity trade, increase domestic consumption and promote electricity export.
She said that the construction of Budhigandaki Reservoir Project (1200 MW) will start with Nepal’s own investment. Likewise, the government has a plan to begin the construction of West Seti, Lower Arun and other projects from the coming fiscal year.
As per the policies and programmes, power generation, transmission and distribution will be carried out in a coordinated manner.
Similarly, President Bhandari also said that a policy will be embraced to increase the domestic consumption of electricity and encourage exports.
Opportunities will be utilised in the areas of production, transmission system expansion, trade system coordination and institutional cooperation in line with the energy development statement issued jointly by Nepal and India.
It is mentioned in the document that investment in power generation, transmission and distribution lines will be expedited to electrify all local levels within two years.
The government has a target to connect 715 MW to the national power system during the upcoming fiscal year 2022/23. It is said that the power distribution system will be made reliable by upgrading the transmission and distribution lines. Construction of 400 KVA-capacity national and cross-border transmission lines will be started to connect the projects based on reservoir river basins. A policy has been taken to supply electricity to an additional 25,000 households from micro, small hydropower and solar energy in places where the national grid is not available.
As per the policies and programmes, green energy will be encouraged by replacing the use of non-renewable energy sources gradually. Charging stations will be constructed in collaboration with the private sector to encourage electric vehicles.
The government has planned to expand the installation of smart meters.
It is said that free meter connection will be provided for the poor to ensure access of electricity to all. President Bhandari said that the rate of electricity tariff will be reviewed to increase electricity consumption and encourage the use of induction stoves to replace cooking gas.The Rising Nepal
