Increase in electricity exports alone should not be considered a success: Shrestha

KATHMANDU: Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Biraj Bhakta Shrestha has said the increase in electricity exports alone should not be considered a complete success for the energy sector.

Responding to a question from Nepali Congress lawmaker Basana Thapa about the state of Nepal’s energy system and problems in electricity service delivery in the meeting of the House of Representatives on Tuesday, Shrestha said electricity exports and domestic supply should not be viewed as contradictory, but rather as separate challenges related to the generation, transmission and distribution systems.

Shrestha briefed the House that Nepal exported electricity worth Rs 29.32 billion to India and Bangladesh in the last fiscal year, while it imported electricity worth Rs 10.55 billion from India.

Minister Shrestha also said since Nepal’s hydropower generation is primarily run-of-the-river, it results in higher production during the monsoon and lower generation during the winter. “As a result, we still have to import electricity from India when domestic generation declines during the dry season,” he added.

Shrestha also said aging, deteriorated and low-capacity distribution infrastructure, as well as rapidly rising electricity consumption, have affected electricity supplies.
“Demand from household consumers has been increasing every year with the growing use of electrical appliances. However, disruptions have been occurring in some areas as aging infrastructure is unable to handle the increasing load,” he added.