Opinion | Who holds Nepal’s energy switch now?
Summary
Nepal’s energy system faces renewed vulnerability after flash floods destroyed hydropower stations and exposed the risks of overreliance on hydroelectricity. The country must now shift from rapid expansion to resilience, disaster-proofing, and broader clean-energy planning to protect its power grid and EV transition.
Key Points
- A flash flood on August 26 washed away 12 hydropower stations and severely affected 15 others along the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers.
- The article says Nepal’s end of load-shedding under Kulman Ghising created public trust in the power system and accelerated hydropower growth.
- Rapid EV adoption has linked transport policy to the electricity grid, making the loss of generation capacity more consequential.
- The author argues Nepal must prioritize resilience, environmental assessments, insurance, and diversification of energy sources over simply adding more megawatts.
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