The hydropower companies have acquired power generation license from the Department of Electricity Development (DoED) for projects with collective capacity of 1,234 megawatts. The companies have proposed developing hydropower projects on 32 rivers, including Myagdikhola, Thadakhanikhola, Mudikhola, Darbangkhola, Rumkhola, Bagarkhola, Gurjakhola, Niskotkhola, Gharkhola, Rahughatkhola, Bagarkhola, Ghalyamdikhola, Rupsekhola, Nilgirikhola, Kaligandakikhola, Mistrikhola, Begkhola and Ritungkhola, among others. [break]
The 32 megawatts Rahughat Hydropower Project being developed by Nepal Electricity Authority, 42 megawatts Mistrikhola Hydropower Project being developed by Robust Energy Pvt Ltd and Ghamlemdikhola Hydropower Project (4MW) are currently under construction.
Though most of these projects have already prepared environmental impact assessment report and conducted public hearing, they have not taken ahead project works citing financial problems.
“The promoters of these projects only seek license renewal without taking ahead project works,” said Bishnu Prasad Sharma, an official at Local Development Office. He also claimed that the DoED has been renewing licenses without assessing the progress on projects.
“The practice of holding power generation licenses has discouraged genuine investors,” said central member of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Surya Prasad Marasini. Marasini also accused the government of not providing even the minimum facilities to the hydropower projects.
According to Pradip Sapkota, chief of Bagarkhola Hydropower Project, the project has not been able to move ahead due to lack of transmission line to supply the electricity generated by the project to the national grid.
“We have already completed environmental impact assessment of the project,” added Sapkota.
Related story
20 development projects that will be watched in 2020
-1200x560-1779450784.webp)
