Energy Minister Biraj Bhakta Shrestha has said that developing strong transmission and distribution infrastructure is just as important as increasing electricity production for Nepal’s economic growth.
During the 11th anniversary program of National Transmission Grid Company Limited, Energy Minister Shrestha shared that Nepal has now reached a very important stage in electricity production, domestic use, and cross-border power trade. He said that to get the full benefits of the produced power, we must prioritize building a modern, safe, and reliable transmission system.
Minister Shrestha explained that we cannot get the expected economic benefits by only focus on increasing power production. He emphasized that integrated development of generation, transmission, and distribution systems is very necessary. “It is a good thing that electricity production is growing, but if we cannot transmit it safely and use it in productive areas, we won’t get the full economic advantage,” he added.
Government Policies and Economic Use of Electricity
According to the Minister, government has made a policy to use electricity as a main tool for industrialization, creating jobs, increasing production, and overall economic change. He promised that necessary policies and infrastructure will be made to increase power consumption in industries, agriculture, irrigation, electric vehicles, and information technology.
He also mentioned that surplus electricity which cannot be consumed inside the country can be exported to regional markets. This will help to earn foreign currency and boost national economy. Connecting Nepal’s hydropower potential with the regional energy market could make energy sector a strong base for economic prosperity.
Investment and Technology Needs
Building high-capacity transmission lines, substations, and cross-border lines needs a lot of investment. Because of this, Minister Shrestha said we need to bring together the public sector, private investors, development partners, and financial institutions effectively.
To handle future electricity production and demand, he said we must use modern technology in our transmission networks. Using smart grid management will make our system more reliable and sustainable.
Lastly, the Minister said that government is committed to create a competitive power market. They will do this by offering open access to transmission systems, transparent rules, and cost-based transmission services. He also stressed that National Transmission Grid Company Limited needs to strengthen its capacity and lead the construction of important transmission projects.
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.
