Kathmandu. Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Deepak Khadka has admitted that Nepal has not yet achieved miraculous achievements in the energy sector.

Khadka said that energy is necessary not only for lighting the lights of the house but also for the economic and social development of the entire nation. Speaking at the signing ceremony of grid connection agreement between National Transmission Grid Company Limited (RPGCL) and five hydropower promoter companies, Minister Khadka said Nepal was lagging behind due to lack of timely implementation of energy projects. He believes that the solution is now possible only through the cooperation of the government and the private sector.

Minister Khadka said the government was committed to make the private sector an active partner in transmission, distribution and power trade in the coming days. “If projects like Arun III had been forwarded three decades ago, there would have been no load-shedding or lack of investment,” he said. If the government or the authority does not, then the work should be carried forward in collaboration with the private sector. ’

On the occasion, Energy Secretary Suresh Acharya expressed the belief that collaboration with the private sector as chairman of RPGCL would open new doors for energy development. Chairman of electricity regulatory commission. Ram Prasad Dhital said that despite the progress made in production, there is still a natural monopoly in transmission and distribution.

Chief Executive Officer of National Grid Transmission Company Limited E. Sagar Shrestha and representatives of five hydropower promoter companies signed the grid connection agreement. The agreement includes five projects of 607 MW capacity – 440 MW Tila-1 of Kalikot, 72 MW Malumela Setindi Picking of Bajhang, 54 MW Mahakali Seti SemiJalashaya, 31.92 MW Upper Mewa Khola ‘A’ project of Taplejung and 9.143 MW Super Daraundi project of Gorkha.

RPGCL will construct various transmission lines and substations as per the plan to connect the electricity generated from these projects to the national grid on time. For example, tila project will be installed at Phukot substation of Kalikot through 400 kv double circuit Karnali corridor transmission line, Malumela and Mahakali Seti project at Chainpur substation of Bajhang through 400 kv West Seti corridor, Upper Mewa Khola ‘A’ project at Mewa substation through 132 kv Mewa-Dhungesanghu line and Super Daraudi project at Kerabari substation through 132 kv line.

Speaking on the occasion, Executive Officer (CEO) of RPGCL Shrestha said that the company has started the construction of 11 high voltage transmission lines and the target is to bring two lines into operation within this year. According to him, the government has set a target of generating, transmitting, consuming and exporting 28,500 MW of electricity by 2035, for which 16,000 circuit kilometers of transmission lines and substations of 40,000 MVA capacity are required.

Speaking on behalf of the promoter company, Iman Singh Gurung, chief of SC Power Company, said that Nepal has made strides in hydropower production due to the private sector despite being criticized in the past as ‘brokers carrying rivers in their bags’. It is understood that the contribution of private energy entrepreneurs to the government’s taxes, employment to the citizens and overall economic and social development is invaluable.