Private sector seeking approval for power trade

KATHMANDU: The private power entrepreneurs have been attracted towards reaping benefits from power trade after the state-owned Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) obtained approval for electricity sale in Indian energy market.

The entrepreneurs representing private sector have long been demanding approval for power trade.

It may be noted that the NEA has been officially exporting 39-MW electricity to India since last week. Commenting that the power trade deal has opened up new avenues, the private sector demanded the government provide opportunity and permission to energy entrepreneurs for its expansion.

Various five companies had submitted applications to the Ministry of Energy, Water Resource and Irrigation demanding license for power trade. In response, the ministry said approval to that end would be granted once the legal arrangement was in place.

Efforts are being made to address the issue in the new Electricity Act. In the electricity bill tabled at the National Assembly, the issues ranging from energy sale to export have been included.

The private sector companies have not obtained approval in absence of legal arrangement.

At a programme organized by IPPAN, an association of independent power producers of Nepal, Minister for Energy Pampha Bhusal said the government would grant approval to the private sector if the later presented fact-based premises for energy trading.

She asked entrepreneurs to come up with convincing facts in regard to power trade. “Only argument and debate does not work, come up with confidence that they can trade the power produced in the country”.