Govt plans to import 500 MW electricity from India, says PM

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said the government is preparing to import some 400 to 500 MW of electricity from India in order to address the ongoing power crisis. Ministers and secretaries had gathered at the PM’s office Tuesday afternoon to discuss solutions to the ongoing power crisis. The PM also said the feasibility of constructing two 133KVA transmission lines connecting Janakpur-Dhalkebar and Dhalkebar-Kathmandu to import electricity from India would be discussed with other political parties and experts at the meeting, according to Om Sharma, the PM’s press advisor. The meeting was participated by home minister, finance minister, labour minister, industry minister, and the respective secretaries along with experts in the field. Meanwhile, finance minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai has blamed the coalition partner UML for the long loadsheding hours. The plans to install a thermal plant to provide immediate relief to people from load shedding was delayed as the water resource minister was busy in the UML general convention, Bhattarai told journalists at his office Tuesday. Minister Bhattarai also informed that funds would not be a problem to install such plant. “There should be no load shedding next year,” minister Bhattarai said. “We will install a 200 MW multi-fuel plant and also buy some electricity from India in order to meet the power demand.” nepalnews.com ta Mar 17 09 http://www.nepalnews.com/archive/2009/mar/mar17/news14.php