NEA adopts strategy to reduce electricity leakage to 8.5 per cent

Kathmandu, Sept 24: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has set the goal of reducing electricity leakage in a strategic approach.

If the plan set by the country’s power utility is implemented fully, the electricity leakage towards distribution in the current fiscal year will be confined to 8.50 per cent.

The leakage towards distribution is presently 11.28 per cent. NEA has stated that its target is to reduce the power leakage towards distribution by 2.78 per cent to 8.50 per cent in the fiscal year 2018/19.

In this connection, NEA has issued circulars to its seven province level and two division offices, and through them to all the distribution centres regarding the power leakage reduction target, urging them to carry out works accordingly.

The electricity leakage which was 25.78 per cent when Kulman Ghising was appointed the NEA Executive Director has been brought down to 15.32 per cent in three years. The NEA has stated that it has earned additional Rs 7 billion annually by checking a total 10.46 per cent leakage.

NEA had a loss amounting to Rs 8.89 billion until fiscal year 2015/16. Its net profit last fiscal year 2017/18 was Rs 7.20 billion.

The power utility has been carrying out works like checking power pilferage, adopting stringent measures to recovering the arrears and strengthening the transformer, distribution line and the sub-stations as well as making arrangements for more of these for reducing the technical leakage, on a campaign basis.

Similarly, to reduce the bob-technical leakage, NEA has initiated works on a campaign footing for reducing electricity pilferage, taking stringent measures for realizing the arrears, taking strong action against persons involved in meter by-pass and electricity hooking, replacing the malfunctioning electricity metres, encouraging customers to take metres and identifying customers at whose houses electricity metres have not been read.

NEA Executive Director Ghisng said this campaign which has been started across the country would be further galvanized and made effective for curtailing both technical and non-technical electricity leakage.