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Impact of Power-cuts in Nepal
By KTM Metro Reporter in Kathmandu
The impact of the power-cuts has been heavy on the lives of Nepalis. Most of the industries have been operating at half the capacity causing a great distress to industry-owners and workers. Other businesses have been heavily hampered, too, as they could not work regular hours because of the power-cuts. Private hospitals have been talking about shutting down their business, as they could not function properly because of the power shortage. Similarly, private banks have requested the Central Bank called Nepal Rastra Bank to run their business for five days only, as they have been incurring a heavy cost of power shortage.
The State-run utility company called Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has been providing consumers with power only for 8 hours a day, as the dry season has set and the water level in rivers has been decreasing and the water reservoir in Kulekhani has decreased considerably consequently reducing the power production by the hydropower plants. In addition, the Koshi River flood during the last monsoon had damaged the transmission line totally stopping 60 MW power import from India. The government has asked the private companies to set up diesel-run power plants for 200 MW but it takes time to build and run even the diesel power plants. At the same time demand for power has been increasing. The Tenth Five (2002-2007) year Plan had the target of producing additional 101 MW in the public sector and 214 MW in the private sector; however, the progress made was only for 30 MW during this periodic period awfully failing in achieving the target. So, the acute shortage of power has been the result of all these things.
Prime Minister Prachanda is visiting Finland and Norway on January 17, 2009 for a week to ascertain the possibility of wind power plants as an alternative to the hydropower plants to mitigate the power shortage in Nepal. The concerned experts in wind power say that installing the wind power plants is easier and less time taking than other power plants.
