By Thira L Bhusal

Minister for Energy Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat has said the government is working to limit power outage to 12 hours per day this winter. Last year consumers had faced power outage up to 20 hours a day during the driest season.

The total demand in the country reaches nearly 900 MW while the installed capacity of all the hydroelectric projects doesn´t make up even 700 MW. Moreover, the projects generate less than half their full [installed] capacity during the dry season as all — except for Kulekhani — hydro-projects are built on run-of-river model.

At a meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Natural Resources and Means on Sunday, the minister said the government is planning to import 60 MW from India through Nawalparasi and Biratnagar points and repair the existing thermal plants in Biratnagar and Hetauda to reduce the power outage hours.

However, according to Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), of the 60 MW request originally made by the NEA (some two months back), the Indian side has already denied 30 MW supply. Thus the negotiation is only for the remaining 30 MW.

The government has started to import 20 MW through the Tanakapur point from January 1 as per the agreement between NEA and the Power Trade Corporation (PTC) of India . The NEA will distribute the electricity imported through Tanakpur to districts in farwestern Nepal .

On the thermal plant front, the government every year announces that it will repair the plants and generate electricity in full capacity but failed to keep the promise. The two thermal plants have total capacity of 50MW but they are generating only 20 MW. “We are taking initiatives for repairing and generating electricity in full capacity from there as well,” Mahat told lawmakers.

Electricity leakage 85 percent in Bara

Saying that one of the major problems is power leakage and power theft by the public, he sought support from the parliamentarians to tackle the problem.

The minister said that the government had been failing in its efforts to upgrade and repair transmission lines due to locals´ obstruction at several places including in the capital itself.

“We have found that electricity theft is rampant. Power leakage in Bara district is 85 percent. Likewise, Bhaktapur, Chitwan, Kapilvastu and Saptari are some other districts where leakages are very high,” Mahat said.

According to the NEA, electricity loss in the transmission, combining theft by consumers and technical losses, is up to 27 percent of the total generation.

Govt bodies owe NEA Rs 1.71b in electricity bills

The government offices and local bodies — municipalities, district development committees and village development committees — owe the NEA Rs 1.71 billion in electricity bills. The government offices have dues worth Rs 650 million while the local bodies have yet to clear electricity bills worth Rs. 1.06 billion.

“I urge the government bodies to clear the bills. Otherwise, it will send a wrong message and encourage consumers to default on electricity bills,” he said.

Source: Republica