
Kathmandu — Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has stated that efforts should now be made to export electricity to other countries through Bangladesh. He directed that delays in processes and policy ambiguities, which prevent the achievement of targets within the specified time and increase costs, must come to an end.
On Monday, during a discussion with ministers and high-level officials about the energy development plan, Prime Minister Oli urged them to focus on diversifying electricity trade, as production is increasing. He suggested building a dedicated transmission line through India to export electricity to Bangladesh, and to work on exporting it to other countries via Bangladesh as well.
Prime Minister Oli stated that disputes related to project compensation and transmission lines should be resolved, and the Nepal Electricity Authority should focus on operating in an organized manner based on appropriateness and jurisdiction.
“The state should not be in a situation where it witnesses irregularities and manipulation in this sector but is unable to take action,” Prime Minister Oli said. “Our mechanisms should not function based on what those with power say. They should operate according to rules, laws, the demands of the time, and the needs of the country, not based on force or power.”
In a discussion held at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers in Singha Durbar, it was concluded that in order to achieve the target of producing 28,500 megawatts of electricity by 2035, legal, policy, institutional, and procedural reforms must be implemented. Additionally, programs related to the management of production, infrastructure, trade, and financial resources will be accelerated.
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel, Foreign Minister Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba, Minister of Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation Deepak Khadka, Chief Secretary Ek Narayan Aryal, and others participated in the discussion. The discussion focused on identifying issues related to forest, environment, and land acquisition in the implementation of infrastructure development projects in the energy and irrigation sectors, and deliberated on solutions to these problems.
The plan aims to produce 28,500 megawatts of electricity by 2035, with the goal of generating an annual income of 2.65 trillion rupees through consumption and export. It is projected that this will create employment opportunities for 865,118 people.
It is estimated that approximately 46.5 billion US dollars will be required for the implementation of the plan, including production, transmission lines, and distribution. Currently, the country’s electricity capacity stands at 3,243 megawatts.