Load-Shedding Reduction Action Plan : Ministry submits plan to Cabinet

KATHMANDU, OCT 01 –

Putting forth a 15-point recommendation, the Ministry of Energy submitted the ambitious Load Shedding Reduction Action Plan to the Cabinet on Sunday. The plan is aimed at reducing load-shedding to 10 hours a day from the predicted 21 hours.

In its plan, the ministry has proposed early construction of the 400KV Dhalkebar-Mujjaffapur inter-boarder transmission line, generating 40MW energy from diesel plants, importing 200MW additional energy from India and purchasing energy from the plants of local industrial units, among others. “The government should provide Rs 5.40 billion in compensation to the Nepal Electricity Authority each year which the authority would use to operate diesel plants and import 200MW electricity from India,” read the plan. NEA requires Rs 2.80 billion a year to operate its thermal plants, while another Rs 2.60 billion is required to import energy from India.

The action plan has recommended that government construct 132KV transmission line from Duhabi to Kataiya by mid-February 2013 to import 50MW energy from India.

The Energy Ministry has asked the Finance Ministry to release Rs 330 million to build the transmission line. It also has requested the Indian government for subsidised loans of the same amount for the project. The plan also states that 150MW energy could be brought from India through the existing Biratnagar-Jogbani cross boarder transmission line.

The Energy Ministry, in its plan, has also asked the Cabinet to authorize it to initiate diplomatic dialogue with the Indian government for the import of the additional power and construction of the 132KV transmission line.

Source : The Kathmanud Post