The End of Loadshedding in Nepal

The Power shortage of Nepal is one of a major problem.  20hrs of load shedding was recorded in Nepal . It's been almost a decade that the country is suffering a heavy power shortage problem. The rate of   growth of electricity is near to 10% as by the NEA report in july 2012 .
Total installed capacity of electric power in Nepal is around 748 MW as of 2013. But  maximum demand is about 1026.6 MW(2012 NEA report). There is a total gap of more then 300MW in general .  Major crisis is in the spring and winter seasons where production of Hydropower plant even fall to the more  minimum level upto 500MW because most of  plant are run off river type.
Still it shows of 50% percent of power is shortage in the maximum peak demand in drought seasons.
     How we can decrease this much of gap?  Well big Hydropower is a time consuming project and it will take more then 4yrs  for the completion , in the case of Nepal. These  are  major  projects

Name of the Project                                Installed capacity    Project started time         Ending  time
1) Upper Tamakoshi project                        (456MW)               May 18 2011                      5yrs (extended upto 2015)
2) Kulekhani III Hydropower Project          (14MW)                April 27, 2008               December 14, 2014
3) Chameliya Hydro Electric Project           (30MW)                   2007                                 2013( extended to March 2015)
4) Rahughat Hydro Electric Project              (32MW)                2010/11                            2016
5) Upper Trishuli 3A Hydro Electric Project  (60MW)            1st June 2011                  35 months(not completed)      
6) West Seti Hydropower Project                  (750MW)                 -                                       -
                       Total  Under construction =   ( 1342MW )

Lets imagine that the whole project  will be complete by  year 2021 then  data shows that  in 2021 maximum demand will be rise of  about 1000 MW, which again  installed capacity will be  less then demand capacity. So it is  not easy to say that Nepal load-shedding problem  will be completely end by the 2021 but I am  pretty sure that if megha project will not come to exist and new more project will not be added then  load shedding will remains as it is  for one more decade.

Sustainable development of Nepal through Hydropower

The Geography of Nepal is very critical. Due to the unusual landmarks and geographical coverage with plane, mountainous and hilly region. Sustainable  development is a bigger challenge technically and theoretically. But ,Nature  gives us the tremendous support for the hydropower .


Hydropower is one  of resources which has a potential to change the living standard of the people who live in rural areas. Question may arises  that Nepal is using electricity so far for the centuries still 40% of Nepalis are facilitate with electricity. So what about the 60% people ? When they will get electricity?
Well answer is quite easy may be 10yrs 20 yrs or ...? The lack of the proper plan from the government side ,  Huge budget require for the  installment of electric system. the  lack of capital investment and the feasibility study.
Though there are many positive aspect  from the government side to perform the microhydropower project.
Many NGOS and INGOS are working on small scale hydropower project and plan, community itself is motivated to establish a project which is a very positive response and self awareness .

Source(CBS report in Poverty of Nepal 2010-2011)

This report shows  truly an immediate attention is needed  in the rural areas of Nepal to reduce poverty.
This can be done only  by various aspect of basic need. In that the Electricity plays the vital role. So  a question may come how we can achieve the sustainable development.

Well the answer is easy to establish hydropower and invest huge amount of capital in  hydropower. Installed capacity of hydropower so far is 640 MW and the maximum demand is around 1040 MW. So the lack of power which results in the load-shedding  in  country upto 18hrs/day in a spring and in autumn seasons and the 4hrs/day in a summer seasons. For only the 40% people  the load-shedding is this much and if imagine the whole population  what will be the load-shedding.
The current demanding in electricity is 8% to 10%( 2010 report of NEA) if the growth rate is increase in so  then the upcoming year  2013-2014 Nepal may have the huge power cut of upto 19hr to 20hrs day.


The power shortage may increase the  poverty rate and  decrease the economy. Whole economy depends on how much power is utilizes by that country. A shortage of power may increase in the cost of the  product which directly effected to the consumer. This is main issue why the immediate attention is needed. The import of fossil fuel  from India  which  growth rate is 11.61% (2010 world bank). The Indo Nepal trade loss contain the 60% only in bio-fuel  Assume if we increase the production in energy  and the less dependency in fossil fuel and in india there is a profit and profit .
The Hydropower is a clean energy and unfriendly  Nepal can make carbon trade and it will be next income source fro Nepal government.
There are few point I would like to add why we go for the hydropower for sustainable development
1> The energy in dependency towards fossil fuel
2> For the overall growth
3> To reduce the poverty rate
4< Decrease the Indo-Nepal trade loss
5> Carbon Trade
6> Better future