KATHAMNDU, July 9:
The Department of Electricity Development (DoED) has issued power generation licenses to 29 hydropower projects in fiscal year 2012/13 so far.
The total installed capacity of the 29 projects is 794 MW. The department has issued generation licenses to 65 projects so far.
“As generation licenses are issued only after the hydropower projects fulfill certain criteria set by the government, we are hopeful that these projects will be completed on time,” Gokarna Raj Pantha, information officer of DoED, told Republica.
Hydropower producers should complete feasibility study and Environment Impact Assessment /Initial Environment Examination, sign Power Purchase Agreement or Connection Agreement, attain financial closure and submit industrial registration documents to apply for general license.
Major projects that have received power generation licenses this year include Lower Arun (400 MW), Rasuwagadhi (111 MW), Kabeli A (37.6 MW), Nyadi Khola (30 MW) and Khani Khola (30 MW).
The generation licenses are issued for 35 years for projects meant for domestic consumption and 30 years for export-oriented projects.
This year, the DoED scrapped survey licenses of some four dozen companies to discourage the trend of occupying rivers.
According to Pantha, as many as 75 firms holding survey licenses had applied for the generation license.
Source : Republica
