Kathmandu. High alert has been maintained in hydropower projects in the Gandaki basin following the forecast of heavy rains from September 22 to 11.

The Department of Electricity Development under the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation has put all hydropower projects in the Gandaki basin on high alert after the Meteorological Forecasting Division predicted that Gandaki would be badly affected by heavy rainfall.

Director General of the Department, Sagar Raj Gautam, said that high alertness has been adopted in the projects under the Nepal Electricity Authority and those operating in the private sector.

According to him, NEA has directed all its projects to adopt safety measures as per the weather forecast while IPPAN is coordinating on behalf of the private sector.

In a meeting of the Board of Directors of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) held on Thursday evening, Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Biraj Bhakta Shrestha directed the concerned authorities to adopt safety alertness of hydropower and electricity infrastructure in Gandaki and other possible places.

Managing Director of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) Dirghayu Kumar Shrestha said that all the projects in Gandaki have been put on high alert 24 hours a day. The NEA is continuously coordinating with the NEA and IPPAN has deployed representatives from the private sector to the NEA.

Spokesperson at the Energy Ministry, Mohan Kumar Shakya, said that the government has paid special attention to preparedness and early warning to face the impending disaster after the Bhotekoshi floods damaged electricity infrastructure, hydropower projects and substations causing 10 percent power outages.