Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: The Independent Power Producers’ Association, Nepal (IPPAN), the umbrella organization of private sector energy producers, has appealed to the government to facilitate the private sector for development of energy sector.
A delegation led by IPPAN President Ganesh Karki met with Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Deepak Khadka, on Monday and requested him to faciliate the private sector to meet the government’s energy development targets.
On the occasion, President Karki also requested an extension of the final electricity production deadline, citing several challenges such as economic recession, the inability of banks to provide loans, informal restrictions on explosives imports from India, delays in getting forest clearance approvals and complications in acquiring government land.
IPPAN also requested that companies only be required to register with the Department of Industry after obtaining production permits, considering the lengthy study period for hydropower projects and the possibility of projects being deemed unfeasible during the study phase. It also asked for timeline specifications for financial management based on project nature and capacity.
Responding to the delegation, Minister Khadka said private sector support is crucial to achieve the government’s target of producing 28,500 MW of electricity by 2035. “The government wants to move forward with the private sector for the country’s energy development and is committed to resolving issues in private sector energy development,” he added.
