Kathmandu — A discussion has taken place between the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) and industrialists regarding the ongoing power cuts in industrial areas. On Sunday, Dirghayu Kumar Shrestha, Deputy Managing Director of the NEA’s Distribution and Consumer Services Directorate, held talks with representatives from the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) and the Confederation of Nepalese Industries.
The industrialists stated that discussions were held regarding the current state of electricity supply and the need to impose power cuts on industrial consumers for some time.
The Authority stated that due to the increasing electricity demand within India, it has been unable to procure electricity even at maximum prices, and therefore could not supply electricity as per the demands of the industrialists.
Shrestha mentioned that the flow in Nepal’s rivers is gradually increasing and that the electricity management problem will be resolved as soon as the supply from India becomes easier, estimating that it would take around 15 to 20 days at the latest.
The Authority stated that it is committed to providing quality, reliable, and continuous electricity supply to industrialists with top priority.
Hemraj Dhakal, Vice President of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, said that an environment of trust has been created between the Authority and industrialists, and that cooperation will become even smoother in the coming days.
Dhakal stated that the Authority should work not only in hydropower but also in the field of alternative energy sources like solar. Confederation representative Ghanshyam Ojha said that the Authority’s initiatives would help resolve the current problems. He also emphasized that the Authority should focus on improving the quality of the supplied electricity.
Source: Kantipur
