January 17: Four solar power projects of 117 Megawatt capacity have received permission for survey in the first six months of the current fiscal year, according to the Department of Electricity Development. Kalikhola Solar Plant, Mithila Solar Plant, Bhawanipur Solar Plant and Lamadanda Lalpur Solar Plant have received survey licenses from the department.

The largest project to get license is Lamadanda Lalpur Solar Plant. The promoter company Panas Energy Pvt Ltd is going to build a 100 MW capacity plant in Siraha district. According to the department, the company got permission for the survey on November 5.

Goodluck Glocal Power Energy has received permission to survey 7 MW Kalikhola Solar Plant in Nuwakot. According to the department, Solar Star Pvt Ltd has got permission to build and survey a 5 MW Mithila Solar Plant in Dhanusha and Nepal Petroleum Trade Links Pvt Ltd to build a 5 MW Bhawanipur Solar Plant in Bara.

The promoter companies will have to send the survey report to the department within two years. Navin Raj Singh, director general of the department, said if the survey is not completed in two years, the license will be cancelled. He said that due to the corona virus pandemic, the projects under survey are being extended.

“Some projects have not been able to survey due to the lockdown to control spread of coronavirus. Survey licenses of some projects have expired," he said, "We are making arrangements to facilitate such projects."