Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Madhu Prasad Bhetwal said that there need to increase the demand for electricity throughout the country..

He said that the projects with a capacity of about 17,000 MW are in various stages of construction, he said that consumption would increase if the distribution system is improved.

Spokesperson Bhetwal said that the work of 50 charging stations for electric vehicles had been started recently and a programme with a concrete action plan was needed for the replacement of LP gas.

According to Joint Secretary Bhetwal, it is necessary to reduce the tariff for those who consume more electricity and also to reduce the tariff for electricity during the rainy season.

Speaking at an interaction on electricity trade and the upcoming budget organized by SEJON) Wednesday, speakers suggested the government to prepare the budget giving priority to implement the plans related to energy sector.

SEJON President Bhim Gautam said that that there need to increase internal consumption of electricity in coming days.

Managing Director of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) Hitendra Dev Shakya said that they were trying to facilitate all the work to be done by the NEA for the development of the overall energy sector of the country.

He said that NEA was working in a coordinated manner in the interest of the general consumers and was also trying to address the demands of the industrialists.

Gyanendra Lal Pradhan, an expert in the energy sector, said that if the electricity market is expanding everywhere, special attention should be paid to increase production rather than looking for it.

Member of the Electricity Regulatory Commission Ram Prasad Dhital said that emphasis should be laid on diversification of electricity rather than believing that electricity consumption will increase only by reducing the tariff.

Gopal Khanal, president of the energy committee of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), said that government and private sector initiatives would be meaningful only if emphasis was laid on the development and expansion of physical infrastructure.

Krishna Acharya, president of Independent Power Entrepreneurs’ Association of Nepal (IPPAN), stressed on the need to end the situation where one government body does not agree with the other.

Input from The Rising Nepal