Kathmandu: Member of the House of Representatives, Shriram Neupane, has said that Nepal should no longer remain limited to merely counting electricity generation in megawatts, but should move towards increasing energy consumption, expanding electrification, and building an energy-based economy. He expressed the view that the country must shift from the “era of counting megawatts” to an “era of measuring prosperity through energy consumption.”
Speaking as the special guest at the inauguration ceremony of “Fin Electro-Tech 2026” organized by the Federation of Electricians Entrepreneurs of Nepal, MP Neupane from Tanahun Constituency No. 2 said that 21st-century development should not be limited only to the construction of roads, bridges, and buildings. He emphasized that energy access, energy connectivity, and per capita electricity consumption are the true foundations of modern development.
During the event, he noted that while Nepal has the potential to generate around 150,000 megawatts of energy from solar, wind, and water sources, only about 4,350 megawatts of green energy is currently being produced. He also highlighted that per capita annual electricity consumption remains limited to around 400 units.
“Generating electricity and erecting towers alone is not development,” he said. “Development happens when reliable electricity service reaches every household, when farmers can use it for irrigation, when youths can establish industries in their own villages and create jobs, and when energy becomes the foundation of a modern digital economy.”
MP Neupane acknowledged the government’s target of generating 30,000 megawatts of electricity in the coming decade as positive, but stressed that its real success depends on effective expansion of consumption alongside production.
“If that electricity does not reach households, fields, industries, electric vehicles, tourism, education, health, information technology, and rural enterprises, then the target of 30,000 megawatts has no meaning,” he clarified.
He also stated that the main challenge in the energy sector today is not only production but also transmission, distribution, consumption, and market assurance. He noted that millions of citizens are still affected by issues such as exposed live wires, weak transformers, dilapidated poles, lack of three-phase lines, and delays in transmission line construction.
Emphasizing the need for long-term development of the energy sector, he said that shared goals and effective coordination between political leadership, administrative mechanisms, and technical manpower are essential. He added that national prosperity can only be achieved through a balance between energy production and consumption.
Highlighting that the global energy sector has already entered a phase of technological competition, MP Neupane said that artificial intelligence (AI), data centers, cloud computing, electric transportation, and automated industries are all fundamentally dependent on energy.
He said that since Nepal has abundant water resources, vast potential, and an expanding market, the country should now move beyond simply exporting electricity and instead build an economy that creates value through energy utilization.
He described the electric equipment, solar systems, and modern technologies displayed at Bhrikutimandap not merely as commercial products, but as instruments of Nepal’s energy transformation. He expressed confidence that such technologies would help reduce dependence on imported fuels, increase energy self-reliance, and contribute significantly to building a green economy.
Concluding his remarks, MP Neupane reiterated that the success of the government’s ambitious energy goals will depend on the speed of implementation. He emphasized that Nepal must now move beyond the “era of counting megawatts” and enter an “era of measuring prosperity through energy consumption.”
The organizers stated that “Fin Electro-Tech 2026” features participation from various national and international companies in the fields of energy, electrical equipment, solar technology, and modern energy solutions.
jalasarokar
