Energy ministry makes public Lal Commission report

KATHMANDU: The Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation has made public the report of a commission formed to investigate the dispute between Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) and industries, that consumed electricity supplied via dedicated feeders and trunk lines, over recovery of outstanding dues.

The report was made public on Monday evening following a cabinet decision earlier in the day.

The cabinet meeting on January 8, 2024, had formed the three-member commission under the leadership of former Supreme Court Justice Girish Chandra Lal. The commission, which included the Energy Secretary and Industry Secretary as members, had submitted the report to the then-energy minister Shakti Basnet on May 23, 2024.

The commission has said in its report that the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) should recover outstanding dues for the unresolved period between Shrawan 2072 to Poush 2072 (mid-July 2015 to mid-January 2016). Likewise, for the second period between Magh 2072 and Baisakh 2075 (mid-January 2016 to mid-April 2018), the commission has suggested collecting the amount after recalculating the tariff based on the actual days and duration of electricity supplied to the customers.

For the third period from Jestha 2075 to Ashar 2077 (mid-May 2018 to mid-July 2020), the commission has suggested that the outstanding dues cannot be collected as load-shedding had already ended by then.