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Nepal hit by 18-hour power cuts

by Sanjay Jha | January 11, 2009 at 09:15 pm

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From Sunday, in an unprecedented turn in Nepal’s history, the state-run Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has imposed what it calls a 18-hour power outage daily in a bid to cope with the power crisis. The crisis was triggered by Nepal’s power-producing rivers drying up faster this winter following a lean monsoon.

The deficit has been mounting for decades due to corruption, mismanagement and political turmoil that prevented a succession of governments from commissioning new power projects.

This is the third time in less than a month that the government has increased the blackout hours. Till Saturday, it was 12 hours a day.

The crisis, aggravated by a squabbling government’s inability to come up with any contingency plan, has caused the popularity of Maoist Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda to plummet.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal today instructed five ministers to take immediate steps to resolve the major problems facing the country — power shortage, closure of factories and industries, transportation sector and law and order.
Prime Minister had called Home Minister Bam Dev Gautam, Finance Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai, Minister for Water Resources Bishnu Paudel, Minister for Labour and Transport Management Lekhraj Bhatta and Minister for Industries Asta Laxmi Shakya to his official residence this morning.
PM instructed Paudel to initiate action at the earliest possible to resolve the problem of power shortage, said Minister Bhatta. The Prime Minister’s fiat coincides with a 16-hour daily load-shedding that the Nepal Electricity Authority has enforced nationwide. The crisis has been triggered due to the receding water level in the rivers, which are generating only 230 MW, NEA said on Friday.
PM instructed Minister Shakya to implement the government’s decision to provide minimum wage of Rs 190 to labourers and make an immediate attempt to reopen the closed industries and stop capital flight.

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mnepali

at 03:19 on January 12th, 2009

Sanjay, I like the story. Thank you.

Sanjay Jha

at 03:28 on January 12th, 2009

Thanks. I remember Nepal used to have additional power generation and it use to lend it to neighbouring India. But i can't believe that now Nepal has take it from India.

wprozz

at 20:12 on January 15th, 2009

This power cut problem is here in Nepal due to the 10 years of war by the Maoist. Many builders were afraid of them so no Dams.and power house...then no electricity...