Yashoda Sunuwar
Kathmandu; Nepal’s installed capacity to produce electricity has reached 2,577.48 MW, shows the records maintained by the government authorities.
According to records maintained by Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), Alternative Energy Promotion Center and independent power producing companies, the country has installed capacity of producing over 2,577 MW of electricity. Of the total amount, 2,492.95 MW is connected to the national grid, while the remaining 84.53 MW is off-grid supply.
The NEA-operated companies and its subsidiaries have been producing 1,122.40 MW. The private sector has installed power plants of 1,370.54 MW. Similarly, small hydropower projects and alternative energy have been producing 4.53 MW and 80 MW, respectively, which are recorded under off-grid supply.
According to the NEA, the country is projected to produce an additional 800 MW in the current fiscal year, taking the production capacity to 3,000 MW. The 111 MW Rasuwagadhi, 57.3 MW Sanjen and Upper Sanjen, 102 MW Madhya Bhotekoshi and 54 MW Super Dordi are among the main hydropower projects to come online by this fiscal year-end.
In addition, projects with a cumulative 3,300 MW promoted by the NEA and the private sectors are now at different phases of construction. A total of 240 projects have conducted feasibility studies to produce 11,716 MW of electricity and are waiting to carry out power purchase agreement (PPA). Of these, the government is planning to open PPA for an additional 1,500 MW soon.
Along with a notable rise in production capacity, the landlocked country has been struggling to utilize its energy production. During peak production, more than 500 MW is going into wastage for the past few years.
