Editorial | Stop ignoring Nepal’s hydropower reality
Summary
Nepal’s hydropower sector has record export earnings, but its current model remains reliant on monsoon surplus and imported power in the dry season. The editorial urges long-term power agreements with India and Bangladesh, faster transmission upgrades, and greater domestic electrification to make energy exports and consumption more sustainable.
Key Points
- Nepal earned a record Rs29.32 billion from electricity exports to India and Bangladesh last fiscal year, but the export model remains vulnerable and unsustainable.
- The article urges Kathmandu to resume stalled PPAs, secure long-term agreements, and expand transmission infrastructure to reduce wasted generation.
- It argues for deeper power trade with Bangladesh through trilateral agreements, alongside faster development of reservoir-based hydropower projects.
- The editorial calls for domestic electrification measures such as induction cooktops, electric irrigation, battery storage, and green data centres to absorb surplus power.
