As the Sun downs, the lights come out. The demand of power slowly rises at the central grid of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) with more people switching on their decorated lights.

The pressure builds on the NEA’s Load Dispatch Center. Managing director Kul Man Ghising sits at the center, with his colleagues, to monitor the situation. He had cut his visit to Japan by a day to be back at the station and supply power to people’s homes. 

Ghising has proved again that nothing is impossible. If there is a will, there is a way. People got to light homes for the whole of Deepawali, including Laxmipuja, thanks to Ghising’s efforts.

Along with his senior-level colleagues and other staff, MD Ghising spent almost five long hours in the load dispatch center to maintain the power supply in Nepal making the main day load shedding free.

While consumers enjoyed the full glare of festive lights, Ghising’s team watched and monitored every moment closely. Prepared a month ago, MD Ghising’s plan had worked well for the second year as well.

On the day of Laxmi Puja, on October 19, the demand of electricity peaked at 1500 MW. According to NEA’s load center, the demand was met through IPP supplied 352 MW, NEA hydro 432 MW, Import 355 MW, Tripping 20 MW and 15 MW and 300 MW industries. 

In normal times, Nepal’s peaking energy demand is around 1300 MW. With the limited supply, one could guess how difficult it would be to add 200 MW in the grid. However, Ghising managed the difficulty helping Nepali people celebrate the Tihar, the festival of lights, without a hitch.

On his return home from the load dispatch center, he felt happy to see Kathmandu Valley twinkling in the colorful lights and online news sites and magazines depicting the Laxmi Puja night.

“I am really happy to supply uninterrupted light on Laxmi Puja,” Ghising told New Spotlight.

Secretary of Energy and chairman of Nepal Electricity Authority Anup Kumar Upadhyaya congratulated all NEA family members involved in the demand management of the energy on the peak day of Laxmi Puja.

Secretary Upadhyaya had a reason to rejoice as the NEA team under the leadership of Managing Director Ghising had made Tihar festival load shedding free again in a decade as announced.

In his Facebook status, secretary Upadhayaya congratulated the team for the success in maintaining smooth supply of electricity and repeating the success of last year in demand and supply management.