“We do not just point out problems but also provide solutions to the government,” said Ashok Murarka, director of Murarka Organisation. “If the government provides the loan for 20 years and offers the land of Biratnagar Jute Mills, we will produce 50 MW of electricity within two years.”

The industrialists said that the government has been buying electricity from the India paying Rs. 7.30 per unit.

They said that the same money used for importing the electricity from India could be used to generate electricity by setting up the thermal plant. It costs an estimated Rs. 3 billion for establishing the plant.

Currently, the government has been importing 15 MW each from Kattaiya Power House and Muzzafarpur, India.

Provision of interest free loan for 20 years, duty fee concession on import of coal, thermal plant machine and spare parts and distribution of produced electricity through Nepal Electricity Authority’s transmission line to industries are some of the pre-conditions put forward by the industrialists for building the plant.

According to industrialists, the government should invest 75 percent of the total investment and industrialists will invest 25 percent in the plant which can be operated as a cooperative.

The Kathmandu Post

Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) had formed a committee headed by its board member Lekhman Singh Bhandary a month ago to assess the financial and technical capability of the five proposing companies. The committee is preparing financial and technical indicators to analyse these proposals.

“We are preparing criteria to select a company for the project,” said Bhandary.

The NEA’s next board meeting will endorse the criteria set by the committee. Bhandary said that 15 days after the endorsement of the criteria, the company that offers the project’s maximum shares to the NEA will be awarded the project.

The government had included Budhi Gandaki along with Upper Karnali (300 MW) and Arun III (402 MW) hydropower projects for international bidding three years ago. Two Chinese companies had submitted proposals to commission the project then.

“However, the Chinese companies failed to meet the criteria set by the former Finance Secretary Bhanu Prasad Acharya-led committee to commission the project,” said Bhandary. Offer of maximum shares to the NEA will be a major criterion for the selection of the company, added Bhandary.  Although internationally acclaimed company Electricity De France (EDF) had proposed public-private partnership (PPP) model for the project two years ago, the government took no decision then. Four other Indian companies had also submitted proposals for the project.

The 1983 pre-feasibility study estimated that this reservoir-type project could be commissioned at a cost of US $ 800 million.

The Kathmandu Post

During a meeting held between Energy Minister Prakash Sharan Mahat and Isabel Guerreo, World Bank Vice President for South Asian Region, on Sunday, the ministry put forward the proposal for investment in Upper Arun project.

In September 2009, the WB had asked the government to come up with potential hydropower projects that could help minimise power crisis in the country, expressing willingness to invest in the potential projects.

“I have proposed Upper Arun to WB for investment after consulting with other concerned experts,” said Mahat. “We will hold detailed discussion on the proposal next week.”

Meanwhile, a press statement issued by the Ministry of Energy after the meeting, said the WB has shown commitment for investment on big hydropower projects in the country to address the existing power outage.  Minister Mahat said the total power generated from Upper Arun will be utilised in the country. “The government will also invest certain amount for this project,” he said.

The estimated cost of the Upper Arun project located some 10 kilometres away from Nepal-China border in Sankhuwasabha district is around US $480 million, according to a study carried out in 1990. The first feasibility study of the project was conducted in 1987, while the detailed project study completed in 1991.

The Kathmandu Post

Government’s nature conservation efforts are impeding hydropower generation. On Dec. 4, 2009, the Cabinet meeting held in Kalapatthar had decided to expand the Bardia National Park from 968 sq. km. to 1862 sq. km.

The highaltitude meet aimed at drawing global attention towards melting Himalayas saw declaration of the Gaurishanker Conservation Area. It covers 2035 sq. km. of land and straddles Dolakha, Ramechhap and Sindupalchowk districts. The BNP expansion and the Gaurishanker conservation area are likely to affect prospects for a dozen hydropower projects, including the 45-MW Bheri-Babai Multi Purpose Project and 456-MW Upper Tamakoshi Hydro Power Project (UTHEP), an official at the Ministry of Energy (MoE) said.

The BNP expansion, the official said, will affect the execution of a 45-MW project, which can irrigate thousands of hectares in Bardia. In 1987, then Ministry of Water Resources had conducted a study on the project that was designed to generate 183 MW and irrigate thousands of hectares in Bardia by diverting Bheri waters into the Babai.

With the birth of the BNP in 1988, the site for the proposed powerhouse came under the protected area and had to be shifted. Thanks to the change of site, the project, even if it is executed, will generate only 45 MW, according to the official. There are other environmental concerns that delay hydel projects. The UTHEP is a case in point. Work on the project got delayed as authorities, including the Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation (MoFSC), did not issue permission on time for felling trees on the project site.

According to the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC) Act, the Ministry of Environment, MoFSC and the National Planning Commission should approve the Environment Assessment Impact (EIA) for the execution of development projects inside protected areas.

The Act has it that any hydropower project based in a protected area should use only 50 percent of total water resources available, take permission for use of explosives during construction and felling trees. Apart from that, project officials must pay entry fee each time they visit the site under the protected area. “The MoFSC did not coordinate with the MoE before declaring conservation areas,” according to Secretary at the MŒ Shanker Prasad Koirala.

A proposed 10-MW reservoir project located inside the Langtang National Park had to be scrapped five years ago as the park did not issue permission for the project’s execution, said Koirala.

However, spokesperson for the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Shiva Raj Bhatta said executing UTHEP would not be difficult as the Langtang park is “more flexible” compared to other national parks and reserves.

Source: The Kathmandu Post

The Supreme Court had, on Dec. 17, had issued a verdict, directing the government to manage the groundwater situation by regulating and restricting the operation of private water tanker operators. The verdict had urged the government to make necessary arrangements prohibiting the extraction of valley’s groundwater beyond a certain limit.

Read more from Ekantipur

विद्युत प्राधिकरण र टेलिकमद्वारा गठित उच्चस्तरीय वार्ता कमिटीले बुधबार माथिल्लो तामाकोसीमा लगानी गर्न सिफारिस गरेका हुन् । उक्त सिफारिसका आधारमा प्राधिकरण र टेलिकमका सञ्चालक समितिले लगानीसम्बन्धी अन्तिम निर्णय गर्नेछन् ।

टेलिकमतर्फबाट वार्ता कमिटीका सदस्य सुनील पोखरेलका अनुसार माथिल्लो तामाकोसीलगायत त्रिशूली थ्री बी, प्रसारण लाइनलगायतका विद्युत क्षेत्रमा लगानी गर्न सिफारिस गरिएको हो । उनका अनुसार लगानीसम्बन्धी सम्झौता, ब्याज, भुक्तानी अवधि, किस्ता लगायतका विषय टुंगो लाग्न बाँकी छ । ‘यी विषय सञ्चालक समितिबाट निर्णय हुनेछन्,’ पोखरेलले बुधबार कान्तिपुरसित भने ।

माथिल्लो तामाकोसीमा वाणिज्य बैंकहरूले गर्ने भनेको लगानीसम्बन्धी निर्णयमा ढिलाइ भएकाले टेलिकमतिर प्राधिकरण लागेको हो । हिमालयन बैंकको अगुवाइमा वाणिज्य बैंकहरूबाट ६ अर्ब रुपैयाँ लगानी गर्नेसम्बन्धी यसअघि समझदारी पत्रमा हस्ताक्षर भइसकेको थियो । करिब एक वर्ष बितिसक्दा पनि बैंकहरू निर्णयमा पुग्न नसकेपछि टेलिकमतिर हामी गएका हौं,’ प्राधिकरणका एक अधिकारीले भने, ‘अब वाणिज्य बैंकको लगानी नभए पनि आयोजनाको वित्तीय व्यवस्थापन हुन्छ ।’

कुल ३५ अर्ब रुपैयाँको माथिल्लो तामाकोसीमा २५ अर्ब रुपैयाँ ऋण जुटाउने प्राधिकरणको योजना छ ।

यसअनुसार कर्मचारी सञ्चय कोषबाट यसअघि नै १२ अर्ब रुपैयाँ ऋणसम्बन्धी समझदारी पत्रमा हस्ताक्षर भइसकेको छ । त्यसबाहेक उसले थप तीन अर्ब रुपैयाँ दिने जनाएको जानकारी प्राधिकरण स्रोतले दिएको छ ।

प्राधिकरणको अर्थका उपकार्यकारी निर्देशक दिवाकर पौडेलका अनुसार टेलिकमको ऋणसमेत प्राप्त भएपछि माथिल्लो तामाकोसीमा थप दुईवटा टर्बाइन र रोल्वालिङ खोलाको पानी मिसाउने कार्य पनि एकसाथ गर्न सजिलो हुनेछ । प्राधिकरणले तामाकोसीबाट आम्दानी गरेपछि मात्र ४५६ मेगावाट नै उत्पादन हुने संरचना बनाउने योजना बनाएको थियो । ‘अब वाणिज्य बैंकहरूको समेत ऋणले हामी माथिल्लो तामाकोसीका सबै संरचना एकसाथ निर्माण गर्नेछौं,’ पौडेलले कान्तिपुरसित भने, ‘रोल्वालिङ मिसाउँदा वर्षको थप १३/१४ करोड रुपैयाँ बराबरको बिजुली उत्पादन हुनेछ ।

पौडेलका अनुसार अबको एक/दुई महिनाभित्रै आयोजनाको सम्पूर्ण वित्तीय व्यवस्थापन भइसक्नेछ । सिभिलको ठेकेदारलाई परिचालनबापत रकम दिनुअघि नै वित्त सम्झौता भइसक्ने उनले बताए ।

ऋणसम्बन्धी नयाँ संरचनाअनुसार सञ्चय कोष र टेलिकम गरी २१ अर्ब, नागरिक लगानी कोष र बिमा संस्थाबाट २/२ अर्ब रुपैयाँसमेत गरी कुल २५ अर्ब हुनेछ । यसबाहेक नेपाली सेनाबाट तीन अर्ब रुपैयाँ ऋण लगानीका लागि तामाकोसी कम्पनीले पत्राचार गरिसकेको छ ।

कुल लागतमध्ये ३० प्रतिशत पुँजी लगानी हुनेछ ।

यसमा प्राधिकरणको ५१, सर्वसाधारणको दस प्रतिशत, आयोजनास्थल दोलखावासीको १० प्रतिशत, तामाकोसी कम्पनी र प्राधिकरणका कर्मचारीबाट ६ प्रतिशत, सञ्चयकर्ताबाट २० प्रतिशत र लगानीकर्ता वित्तीय संस्थाका कर्मचारीका तीन प्रतिशत सेयर हुनेछ । टेलिकमका कर्मचारीलाई पनि यही तीन प्रतिशतमध्येबाट सेयर दिइनेछ ।

सेयर तथा ऋण सम्पूर्ण वित्त स्वदेशी हुने गरी माथिल्लो तामाकोसी निर्माणमा जान लागेको पहिलो ठूलो आयोजना हो । ऊर्जा उत्पादनको लागत र आयोजनाको संरचना कालीगण्डकी एकोभन्दा आधा मात्र बनाए पुग्ने भएकाले यो माथिल्लो कणर्ालीजत्तिकै सस्तो पर्न गएको हो ।

माथिल्लो तामाकोसीको बिजुली उत्पादन लागत प्रतिकिलोवाट एक हजार अमेरिकी डलरभन्दा कम पर्नेछ । जबकि मध्यमस्र्याङदी, कालीगण्डकी जस्ता आयोजनाको लागत तीन हजार डलर कटेका थिए । नेपालमा प्रतिकिलोवाट २ हजार डलर पर्ने आयोजना सस्तो मानिन्छ ।

सस्तो आयोजनामा स्वदेशी लगानी हुन सके अझ बढी सस्तो हुने देखिएकाले प्राधिकरणका तत्कालीन कार्यकारी निर्देशक अर्जुनकुमार कार्कीले कर्मचारी सञ्चय कोषसँग ऋणसम्बन्धी समझदारी पत्रमा हस्ताक्षर गरेका थिए ।

दोलखामा पर्ने माथिल्लो तामाकोसीबाट उत्पादित बिजुली बेचेर प्राधिकरणले केही वर्षमै घाटा कम गर्न सक्नेछ ।

विकास थापा /ekantipur.com

A person has been killed and other four injured due to a landslip in Dadeldhura district this morning.

Minor Ganesh Thapa of Amargadi Municipality-5 died after his house collapsed in the landslide, the police informed.

In Baglung, 10 families have been displaced after a landslip collapsed their houses.

Likewise, the swollen Tinau River entered the villages in at Sundarnagar, Butwal this morning and swept awaya dozens of houses.
Namuna Irrigation Planning “Sorrha Chattis Kula” has also been affected by the flood.

It has also swept away retaining wall joining Devinagar and Motipur.

Flood in Ratu River and Bighaha River in Mahottari district too have inundated Jaleshwor Municipality including majority of government offices.

Similarly, Mahakali River and other rivers have inundated Mahendranagar Bazaar of Kanchanpur and various wards of Bhimdutta Municipality.

Meanwhile, transportation at some seven hilly districts in far-west has been obstructed due to the landslide along the Bhimdutta Highway since Monday.

In Bardiya, flood in Wodai River has obstructed transportation at Wodigaun-Chisapaani road section along the East-West Highway since this morning.

Budhabarei-6 including other roads in Dhankuta district has also been obstructed since yesterday.

There are some flaws in the section of water and electricity from the early days, he added.

Dahal said so this morning in Doha, Qatar prior to leaving Europe after a 10-day visit.

“No issues should be raised until things get solved on water and electricity,” Dahal said.

It has been said that during the Prime Minister’s India visit, fresh agreements will be made on preparing Diversified Project Report (DPR) on Pancheswor Project.

He termed the Prime Minister’s India visit to be a regular one and reiterated that no agreements should me signed as the general public does not have belief on Nepal-led government.

Dahal said, “There is no proof that this government will run and public do not have faith as well, so this government should not make any decisions.”

Mentioning that his Europe visit was just for training the Maoist cadres, Dahal said the officials he met stressed on the relationship with the country and peace process.

Also on the occasion, Dahal underscored the need of high level understanding among the political parties for taking peace process to a logical end and for drafting new constitution.

Dahal, his wife and son are arriving in Kathmandu this evening.

Ekantipur.com

Construction work at the 130 MW Upper Seti, a reservoir type hydro project will be initiated as a project of national priority and pride. Likewise,  work on the 456 MW Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project — the first big project being implemented with domestic investment — will be initiated. It is expected to be complete in fiscal year 20122013.

Meanwhile the government has also stated it will expedite construction of various middle scale hydropower projects including the 60 MW Upper Trishuli, 30 MW Chameliya and the 27 MW Rahughat among others.

 Preliminary work on Pancheswor Multip-urpose Project will be initiated by developing infrastructure like access road to the project site and ropeway construction.

Construction of Naumure Hydroproject will be initiated along with other multi-purpose projects like Sunkoshi-Kamala diversion and Bheri-Bababi diversion. The private sector will be encouraged to construct large scale projects such as Arun III, Upper Karnali, and West Seti.

The government will give emphasis to feasibility studies of new projects along with extension and repair of transmission lines.
 
Immediate import of 30 MW from the second circuit of Kataia-Kusaha and 30 MW from the point of Surajpura will be initiated. Extension lines will be constructed in Birgunj, Biratnagar, and Kusaha for additional import of power.
 
According to hydro expert Gyanendra Lal Pradhan, in overall terms the budget looks good, but it does not reflect a clear cut policy for implementation of VAT subsidy on construction materials like cement and iron rods.

“The government’s plan to develop 25,000 MW in the next 20 years is unrealistic and has been mentioned in the budget just to make it populist. The government should have continued with the Maoist proposal of 10,000 MW and worked on implementing that successfully,” he said.

Likewise, the government should have proactively involved the private sector along with the international sector for construction of hydropower projects.

Pradhan also underscored the need to revise the Power Purchase Agreement to lure the private sector towards hydropower development through a new policy.

At a meeting with Minister for Energy Prakash Sharan Mahat on Friday, a delegation of IPPAN submitted to the minister a memorandum that condemned the obstructing of hydropower projects by locals.

Recently, locals living around the Chilime Hydropower Plant as well as employees of a services provider company at Khimti I plant have been creating disturbances in the operation of power plants by resorting to lockouts, threats, and demonstrations. In a statement, IPPAN said the government had recently formulated a policy to encourage private sector investment in hydropower development.

The government has issued survey and generation licenses for the construction of hydropower plants and provided fiscal incentives to encourage private investors to invest in hydropower development. Despite all the positive incentives by the government, the recent obstruction in the operation of the hydro projects will only dampen the enthusiasm of hydropower developers to invest in hydropower.