KATHMANDU, NOV 17 - The government is planning to conduct feasibility studies on hydropower projects with capacity larger than 2,000MW. This is what Nepal told the meeting of the Energy Group under the South Asian Sub-Regional Cooperation held in Thimpu, Bhutan, on November 9-10. The meeting discussed possibilities of power trade within the region.
“We told the gathering that we would conduct feasibility studies on mega projects as Nepal could be the potential power exporter in the region,” said Moti Bahadur Kunwar, joint secretary at the Ministry of Energy, who had led the Nepali delegation to the meeting participated by Bhutan, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, besides Nepal.
According to Kunwar, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has committed to provide technical and financial support for the studies. An ADB team will soon visit Kathmandu to discuss the matter as the modality of donor’s support in project identification was not finalised during the Thimpu meeting.
Kunwar said there has been an agreement in principle that the power generated from these projects will primarily be supplied for domestic consumption. “Surplus energy will be exported,” he said.
The ministry now plans to request the National Planning Commission to include the feasibility study agenda in its annual programme and begin implementation work in the current fiscal year. The ministry, according to Kunwar, will soon begin drafting a proposal for project identification and feasibility studies.
However, there are doubts about the government commitment given the slow pace of work on some mega projects announced earlier.
The Karnali Chisapani Multipurpose Project (10,800 MW), Pancheshwar Hydroelectric Project (6,700 MW) and Sapta Koshi High Dam Multipurpose Project (3,300 MW) have already been announced, but work on these projects is moving at snail’s pace.
“Despite the Thimpu agreement, it is not clear how the funding will be arranged for the potential mega projects,” said another ministry official.
During the meeting, Nepal and India also agreed to develop 125km Butwal-Gorakhpur Transmission Line (400kv). “The decision was taken not only to facilitate energy trade between Nepal and India, but also to supply power to the South Asia sub-region,” said Kunwar.
The meeting also agreed to develop high-voltage transmission lines linking countries in the region.
“We told the gathering that we would conduct feasibility studies on mega projects as Nepal could be the potential power exporter in the region,” said Moti Bahadur Kunwar, joint secretary at the Ministry of Energy, who had led the Nepali delegation to the meeting participated by Bhutan, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, besides Nepal.
According to Kunwar, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has committed to provide technical and financial support for the studies. An ADB team will soon visit Kathmandu to discuss the matter as the modality of donor’s support in project identification was not finalised during the Thimpu meeting.
Kunwar said there has been an agreement in principle that the power generated from these projects will primarily be supplied for domestic consumption. “Surplus energy will be exported,” he said.
The ministry now plans to request the National Planning Commission to include the feasibility study agenda in its annual programme and begin implementation work in the current fiscal year. The ministry, according to Kunwar, will soon begin drafting a proposal for project identification and feasibility studies.
However, there are doubts about the government commitment given the slow pace of work on some mega projects announced earlier.
The Karnali Chisapani Multipurpose Project (10,800 MW), Pancheshwar Hydroelectric Project (6,700 MW) and Sapta Koshi High Dam Multipurpose Project (3,300 MW) have already been announced, but work on these projects is moving at snail’s pace.
“Despite the Thimpu agreement, it is not clear how the funding will be arranged for the potential mega projects,” said another ministry official.
During the meeting, Nepal and India also agreed to develop 125km Butwal-Gorakhpur Transmission Line (400kv). “The decision was taken not only to facilitate energy trade between Nepal and India, but also to supply power to the South Asia sub-region,” said Kunwar.
The meeting also agreed to develop high-voltage transmission lines linking countries in the region.
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