100 Days of Energy Minister Focused on Recovery of Dues and Securing Investment in Large Hydropower Projects

Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Kul Man Ghising said major policy decisions and implementation efforts were carried out in energy production, transmission, investment management and disaster risk reduction during his first 100 days in office.

Addressing a press conference at the ministry on Wednesday, Minister Ghising presented details of 101 activities completed during the period, stating that development works were accelerated through field inspections, decisive directives and administrative reforms.

He said domestic investment has been secured for the Budhigandaki and Upper Arun hydropower projects. Investment and financial modalities for constructing the projects with domestic resources have been prepared and forwarded to the Ministry of Finance.

The minister said the government has begun regular collection of long-pending “premium” dues from industries for using dedicated and trunk transmission lines. “With clear instructions and firm decisions, industries have started paying outstanding amounts. Revenue collection has also begun from industries that had not paid even a single instalment,” he said.

According to Ghising, contract management under the ministry has improved, leading to the termination of 22 problematic contracts under the Department of Water Resources and Irrigation. These include the Rs 14.22 billion Sunkoshi Marin Multipurpose Project, where only 10 percent of work was completed despite 60 percent of the contract period having elapsed.

During this period, the Middle Bhotekoshi Hydropower Project was completed, connected to the national grid and brought into commercial operation, the minister said.

Similarly, electricity worth around Rs 19 billion was exported to India and Bangladesh. A framework has been prepared for transmission line development, while agreements have been finalized for constructing the Inaruwa–Purnia and Dododhara–Bareilly 400 kV cross-border transmission lines under the Nepal–India initiative.

To boost investment, the Ministry of Finance has proposed allowing the Nepal Electricity Authority to issue a Rs 20 billion energy bond and offer 20 percent of its shares to the public.

In the irrigation sector, the ministry decided to establish an irrigation management company to expand irrigation facilities to 22,500 hectares in Sarlahi and Rautahat using 500 deep tubewells.

Work is under way to terminate contracts for 22 of the 33 stalled projects, while the Sunkoshi Marin Diversion Project contract has already been ended due to delays, followed by the initiation of a new bidding process.

The Rasuwagadhi Hydropower Project has resumed 37 MW generation after repairs to flood-damaged structures.  -- RSS