Editorial | Budhigandaki needs commitment, not another new plan
Summary
Budhigandaki Hydropower Project has stalled for more than a decade amid repeated policy reversals, rising costs and uncertainty over its financing model. The editorial says Nepal must settle on a workable framework and begin construction without further delay while addressing compensation and resettlement fairly.
Key Points
- Budhigandaki, Nepal’s largest reservoir-based hydropower project, has seen repeated policy shifts under successive governments and still has not begun construction.
- Its estimated cost has risen to Rs374 billion, with the total expected to reach about Rs406 billion including interest during construction.
- The project is seen as important for energy security because Nepal needs dry-season power and currently relies on imports from India in winter.
- The editorial says the government must finalize financing, ensure transparent compensation and resettlement, and start construction under a stable framework.
