KATHMANDU : The high-level taskforce formed by the government for the overall study of the country’s energy sector has initiated its evaluation. The taskforce held its first meeting today at the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation.
A meeting of the Council of Ministers had formed the four-member taskforce comprising Energy Minister Barshaman Pun, Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Lekhraj Bhatta, the then Finance Minister and the Vice Chairman of the National Planning Commission Dr Pushpa Raj Kandel.
The taskforce is assigned to submit policy-level recommendations on the energy sector by studying available power supplies and hydropower projects under construction, among other areas. The Council of Ministers will unveil its policies for implementation on the basis of the task force’s recommendations.
Speaking at today’s meeting, Energy Minister Pun said that electricity tariffs would be slashed in the coming year.
Minister Pun stated that power would be supplied next year in the reduced tariffs, stating that the Nepal Electricity Authority’s domestic and industrial customers’ tariff was reduced in the current fiscal, He added that a 50 percent share of the Khimti Hydropower Project was now under the government’s ownership, and that the Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project would be completed within the coming winter, allowing the government to supply power at a comparatively low rate.
Today’s meeting assigned Secretary at the Ministry of Energy, Dinesh Kumar Ghimire, as the member-secretary of the taskforce. Likewise, the meeting also formed a technical committee under the leadership of Energy Ministry’s Joint Secretary Prabin Aryal to draft the recommendation of the energy sector.
The technical committee has been given a timeline until mid-November to submit the proposed draft of the policy to the taskforce by holding discussions with stakeholders.
