Halesi Tuwachung Municipality has taken a great step in advancing energy access by developing its first Municipal Energy Plan (MEP). This plan is designed to systematically guide the municipality in implementing energy measures over the next five years, sustainably meetingtheir increasing energy demands.

The formal handover ceremony of the MEP took place at the Halesi Tuwachung Municipality office, where the Energy Development Sub-Committee (EDSC) of the municipality officially presented the plan to the Mayor, Ms Bimala Rai. The event was attended by distinguished guests including Mr Nawa Raj Dhakal, Executive Director of the Alternative Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC); Dr Geertrui Louwagie, Deputy Head of Cooperation at the European Union Delegation to Nepal; Dr Frank Fecher, Programme Manager, GIZ Nepal,and other representatives from the municipality office andDeutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit(GIZ) Nepal.

The MEP was developed by the EDSC in close coordination with the local government and stakeholders, with technical support from the “Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency - Green Recovery and Empowerment with Energy in Nepal (REEEP-GREEN)” project, funded by the German Government and the European Union.The plan includes more than 30 energy sector activities, with cost estimates derived from market assessments to ensure both feasibility and effectiveness.

During the event, Mayor Rai highlighted several energy initiatives already undertaken by the municipalityand underscored the importance of sustainable energy solutions for the community. The AEPC Executive Director,Mr Nawa Raj Dhakal, congratulated the municipality for its proactiveapproach and reaffirmed the government's commitment to achieving 100% electrification in the near future. He acknowledged that,although the estimated implementation cost ofthe planis substantial, various activities could be implemented through investments from different government agencies, like AEPC, the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), and local consumers.

At the event, REEEP-GREEN handed over detailed feasibility studies for two solar lift irrigation projects, designed to deliver sustainable agricultural solutions in the municipality.

Following the handover, the delegation visited several local enterprises that have already benefited from clean energy solutions supported by the municipality and the project. These included a dairy product shop, a bakery, and a leaf plate manufacturing enterprise, all of which have started or expanded operations using electricmachines and equipment. During the visit to the leaf plate enterprise, owned by a women’s cooperative, Dr. Geertrui Louwagie appreciated the cooperative’s efforts to reduce plastic waste and its role in fostering sustainable practices at the nearby sacred site of Halesi, and by its role, far beyond the municipality borders. She also highlighted the vital role of electricity in job creation and improvedlivelihoods,andencouraged the womento continue expanding the business development and market reach of their enterprise.

The Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Programme – Green Recovery and Empowerment with Energy in Nepal (REEEP-GREEN) is a technical cooperation projectco-funded by the Federal Republic of Germany (BMZ) and the European Union (EU). The projectaims to enhance the planning and implementation conditions for renewable energy and energy efficiency measures in Nepal. It is implemented by GIZ and its partners,theMinistry of Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation (MoEWRI) andAEPC.

The project has,among others,provided technical support to municipalities, mainly in Koshiand Sudurpaschim provinces, including assistance with Municipal Energy Plan formulation, promotion of renewable energy solutions for socio-economic development, and technical support for implementing energy sector activities.