This report summarizes the progress made by the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation over the last six months regarding electricity production, cross-border transmission, irrigation expansion, and flood warning systems.
Energy Sector Achievements
The Ministry has been busy pushing forward several major works including power generation and improving water resources. According to the progress report, the total installed capacity of electricity in the country has reached 4,271.48 megawatts. There is a new agreement to increase the power export capacity to India up to 1,650 megawatts.
Policy Updates and Better Services
A bill about renewable energy and efficiency is now sent to the Parliament after getting approval from the Cabinet. The Ministry is also working on a roadmap to split the Nepal Electricity Authority into separate companies for production, transmission, and trade. To help people get services easier, they started a 24-hour toll-free number 1151 and a WhatsApp service along with an AI chatbot. The Government Integrated Office Management System is also fully implemented now.
Electricity Trade with India
Nepal and India have agreed to increase import capacity from 1,000 to 1,400 megawatts and export capacity from 1,100 to 1,650 megawatts using the Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur and Dhalkebar-Sitamadhi 400 kV lines. For the Butwal-Gorakhpur line, the Nepal section aims to finish by August 2026. The two countries also agreed to use this line at 220 kV for now to import 130 megawatts and export 200 megawatts of power. Additionally, project reports for several other cross-border lines like Chameliya-Dharchula and Motihari-Nijgadh are approved.
Production and Big Projects
In the last six months, the country added 176.31 megawatts to its electricity capacity. Per capita power consumption is now 496 kilowatt hours and 2,284.100 gigawatt hours of electricity was exported. Big projects like the 828 megawatt Uttar Ganga and 1,063 megawatt Upper Arun have received their production licenses. The Tanahu Hydropower Project shows 62 percent progress at the dam site and 79 percent in the tunnel area. In Hetauda, the work on 18 towers that was stuck for 12 years is almost done with only two towers remaining to be built.
Irrigation and Flood Warnings
The Ministry plans to finish the Babai Irrigation Project in two years and the Bheri-Babai Diversion Project by the year 2085/86. In the last six months, irrigation facilities were extended to thousands of hectares of land across projects like Sikta, Badkapath, Rani Jamara Kulariya, and Mahakali. For the Sunkoshi Marin Diversion Project, the civil construction tender is currently being evaluated. Regarding safety, the flood warning system is improved as the forecast for major rivers is now five days instead of three, and flash flood warnings are extended to 48 hours. Many citizens in high-risk areas received SMS alerts during monsoon floods.
AI Disclaimer: This article was originally published on https://bajarkochirfar.com. It has been translated with the help of AI. For the best understanding and accurate facts, we recommend reading the original Nepali version.
