Former Ministers for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation emphasised that reservoir hydropower projects should be promoted with high priority for energy security.

In a discussion organised at the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation on Tuesday they said that it was a must to advance strategic reservoir hydropower projects to address the growing demand of electricity in the country and energy balance during rainy and winter seasons.

Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Deepak Khadka hosted the discussion with the former ministers for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation to collect suggestions for the development of the country’s energy sector.

In the meeting, Khadka said that as the government has set a target of producing 28,500 megawatts of electricity in 10 years, the opinions and suggestions of the former minister are necessary to achieve this.

“The country has taken the energy sector as the biggest source of income; how can it be advanced, the ministry needs the experience, opinion and advice of former ministers like these,” he said.

Minister Khadka asked for the former minister’s opinions on how to raise investment and advance projects like Budhigandaki, Dudhkoshi, Nalgad, Phukot Karnali, Pancheshwar, Upper Arun Hydropower Project, and how to attract the private sector for the construction and expansion of high-capacity transmission lines.

Similarly, he discussed the topic of maintaining balance in electricity trade with the neighbouring countries - India, China and Bangladesh and getting maximum benefits, the possibility of investment in electricity export with friendly countries other than India and China, and the issue of electricity registered in the parliament.

In the discussion, former minister Gyanendra Bahadur Karki said that as the country’s prosperity depended on the water resource sector, the country should benefit from it by using it to the maximum.

“Because the project is not completed on time, the cost has increased, it should be analysed carefully and move towards a solution,” he said.

Karki said that in order to establish Nepal as a country that exports hydropower, the country’s focus should be on the development of the hydropower sector.

Former Minister Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat said that the development of transmission lines should be prioritised along with electricity production.

Due to the fact that the transmission line is not connected to the powerhouse on time, the generated electricity is being wasted, the Ministry should pay special attention to address this, he said.

He said that it was a must to establish a separate dedicated grid authority on transmission lines.

Dr. Mahat said that the disputes in the dedicated and trunk line areas should be resolved according to the law.

Former Minister Janardan Sharma said that the private sector should be entrusted with the construction of transmission lines. He said that the private sector should be given responsibility for the construction of transmission lines so that the state will be the leader.

“It is appropriate to entrust the transmission line to the private sector, because we need high voltage,” he said.

Former Minister Barshman Pun said that as energy sector is the country’s national priority, all parties should have the same opinion on energy development. He said that necessary policies for the development of the energy sector should be guaranteed and given continuity by attracting investors to the hydropower projects.

Former Minister Shakti Bahadur Basnet said that coordination between the Ministry, Nepal Electricity Authority and Electricity Development Department is necessary for the development of the country’s energy sector.

He said that reservoir projects should be promoted to advance the energy sector without delay for energy security. Former Minister Gokarna Bista said that reservoir projects should be promoted for energy balance in the country.

He said that the proposed electricity bills of dedicated trunk lines should be passed quickly to solve the problems in the energy sector. Former Minister Mahendra Bahadur Shahi said that it was necessary to attract the private sector to the energy sector.