Kathmandu: As the three-year tenure of Ganesh Karki, President of the Independent Power Producers’ Association, Nepal (IPPAN), nears its end, the organization has achieved significant milestones ranging from placing private-sector energy issues at the center of national discourse to advocating effectively for policy reforms.
Under Karki’s leadership, IPPAN strengthened coordination among hydropower investors, developers, and the government while continuously pushing for a more investment-friendly environment in the energy sector. The association played an active role in advocating for the reopening of Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), prioritizing transmission line expansion, ensuring private-sector participation in electricity trade, and addressing policy-related bottlenecks affecting the energy industry.
During the past three years, IPPAN maintained regular dialogue with the government, Parliament, political parties, and other stakeholders on the challenges and opportunities within the energy sector. The association is credited with playing both a constructive and pressure-driven role in promoting the legal and policy reforms necessary for the sector’s long-term development.
Karki’s tenure also saw strong advocacy for leveraging Nepal’s green energy resources as a pathway to economic prosperity. IPPAN consistently promoted increased electricity generation, expansion of domestic consumption, and energy exports as national priorities through various studies, policy recommendations, and stakeholder consultations.
Throughout this period, the association effectively raised the concerns of thousands of megawatts worth of projects under construction and in the study phase before the government. Particular attention was given to issues such as stalled PPAs, inadequate transmission infrastructure, and investment security.
Karki also sought to broaden the perception of the energy sector beyond hydropower generation, linking it to the overall development of the national economy. Through various platforms, he emphasized that Nepal’s ambitious energy targets could not be achieved without substantial private-sector participation.
Although the energy sector continues to face challenges related to PPAs, transmission infrastructure, investment protection, and policy stability, industry experts believe that IPPAN has been successful in bringing these issues to the forefront of national priorities.
As his three-year term concludes, Karki is preparing to pass on the achievements, lessons, and experiences gained during his tenure to the next leadership team. He has identified the expansion of private-sector participation and the vision of transforming Nepal into an energy-exporting nation as key accomplishments of his tenure and important agendas that should be carried forward.
Jalasarokar
