Himalayan News Service Kathmandu, March 25:
The government has come up with plans to construct north-south corridor transmission lines in nine major river basins and corridors, upgrade the existing east-west national power grid from 132 KV to 400 KV and connect the national grid with India within 10 years.
The cabinet meeting on March 18 decided to construct 845 km main transmission line for which it has earmarked Rs 2.25 billion. The main transmission lines of 400 KV from Hetauda-Dhalke, Dhalke-Duhabi and Hetauda-Butwal are targeted to complete within three years. While the Butwal-Lamki, Lamki-Mahendranagar and Duhabi-Anarmani lines are slated to complete by 2019.
Once these corridor transmission lines are constructed, more investments in hydropower sector can be expected from the private sector, which has not been able to invest in northern parts of the country. Though hydro power potential is more in northern parts of the country, investors are not making much investment there because of the lack of transmission lines.
The government has also earmarked Rs 1.11 billion to construct three main corridors — Koshi Corridor (Basantapur-Kusaha), Khimti-Kathmandu, and Kali Gandaki (Parbat-Butwal-Bardaghat).
A total of 295 km transmission corridor would be completed in next five years.
The government, while announcing national energy crisis in November, had included programmes to construct three transmission lines of 220 KV from Bardaghat to Bharatpur, Marsyangdi to Kathmandu, and Bharatpur to Hetauda. The decision also includes constructing five transmission corridors of 132 KV in Kali Gandaki, Kareli, Singati, Sunkoshi and Dhankuta.
“The construction of transmission lines and transmission corridors is one of the three programmes added to the 35 programmes introduced to address the current state of energy crisis and manage soaring demands under ‘National Energy Crisis Working-Plan’,” said Anup Kumar Upadhyay, spokesperson for the Ministry of Water Resources.
Other two programmes are to provide subsidy on solar energy in urban centres and utilise electricity generated from private-sector captive plants.
http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullstory.asp?filename=aNPata0sjqzpma0Ra4sa.axamal&folder=aNPataiaoanaaal&Name=National&sImageFileName=&dtSiteDate=20090326
Showing posts with label From Thehimalayantimes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label From Thehimalayantimes. Show all posts
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Boost to power in dark times
Himalayan News Service Kathmandu, March 24:
India is supplying 54 MW to Nepal after transmission lines, which were destroyed by
the Koshi floods last August, were restored on the either side of the border, according
to a report.
The 132-KV Kataiya-Duhabi transmission line that falls in India is up and running, in keeping with the deadline drafted by Nepal Electricity Authority. Power is also being supplied via the 33-KV Kataiya-Rajbiraj and Kataiya-Biratnagar lines at a subsidised rate as per the Power Exchange Agreement between the two neighbours. This is in addition to the small quantities of electricity that are being supplied along the border. India provides 70 million units of power for free annually, which comes from Tanakpur hydel project.
Besides, 20 MW is being provided by the Power Trading Corporation at a non-commercial rate since January.
http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/browsesection.asp?name=National
India is supplying 54 MW to Nepal after transmission lines, which were destroyed by
the Koshi floods last August, were restored on the either side of the border, according
to a report.
The 132-KV Kataiya-Duhabi transmission line that falls in India is up and running, in keeping with the deadline drafted by Nepal Electricity Authority. Power is also being supplied via the 33-KV Kataiya-Rajbiraj and Kataiya-Biratnagar lines at a subsidised rate as per the Power Exchange Agreement between the two neighbours. This is in addition to the small quantities of electricity that are being supplied along the border. India provides 70 million units of power for free annually, which comes from Tanakpur hydel project.
Besides, 20 MW is being provided by the Power Trading Corporation at a non-commercial rate since January.
http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/browsesection.asp?name=National
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Solar energy subsidy to reduce power woes
Himalayan News Service Kathmandu, March 18:
The cabinet today decided to give subsidy on solar energy even in urban centres, use electricity generated from private-sector captive plants and import substantial amount of power from India in the next four months in its bid to reduce 16-hour daily power outage.
The government has earmarked Rs 1.1 billion for subsidy on the installation of solar panels even in the urban centres and will encourage each household to install a solar panel. The cabinet decided to connect about 210 MW of energy into the national grid from the private captive plants from across the country. Modalities to purchase the energy would be worked out soon in consultation with the private sector. The government had already decided to run the two non-functioning thermal plants in Duhabi’s 39 MW Multifuel Plant and Hetauda’s 14 MW thermal plant.
Ganesh Sah, Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, told this daily that about 500 MW of electricity would be imported from India from several points on the Nepal-India border. He said construction of the transmission lines required for importing the energy would be completed within four months.
Minister for Law, Justice and Constituent Assembly Dev Prasad Gurung said the productive sectors would not require to pay the “demand charge” until full supply of energy from the national grid, and they would pay only for the energy that the industries consume. Earlier, a delegation of industrialists and businessmen had met the PM and demanded that the demand charge be withdrawn. The cabinet has also appealed to all concerned not to call any bandh or general strikes on the national highways and industrial, health and education sectors.
Asked if the cabinet considered extending the tenure of the
eight brigadier generals, Gurung, who has taken charge of Information and Communications Ministry, said no such agenda was tabled in the meeting. “They were relieved lawfully,” Gurung said. The cabinet endorsed the six-point agreement reached between the Tharu agitating groups and the government on Saturday. Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar, Minister for Physical Planning and Works, said the agreement between the two sides would be executed by amending laws.
The cabinet appointed Bharatendu Mishra as executive director of the National Agriculture Research Council and Dr Yubaraj Sangraula as advisor to home minister.
http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullstory.asp?filename=aFanata0sa3qzpma0Va8pa.axamal&folder=aHaoamW&Name=Home&dtSiteDate=20090319
The cabinet today decided to give subsidy on solar energy even in urban centres, use electricity generated from private-sector captive plants and import substantial amount of power from India in the next four months in its bid to reduce 16-hour daily power outage.
The government has earmarked Rs 1.1 billion for subsidy on the installation of solar panels even in the urban centres and will encourage each household to install a solar panel. The cabinet decided to connect about 210 MW of energy into the national grid from the private captive plants from across the country. Modalities to purchase the energy would be worked out soon in consultation with the private sector. The government had already decided to run the two non-functioning thermal plants in Duhabi’s 39 MW Multifuel Plant and Hetauda’s 14 MW thermal plant.
Ganesh Sah, Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, told this daily that about 500 MW of electricity would be imported from India from several points on the Nepal-India border. He said construction of the transmission lines required for importing the energy would be completed within four months.
Minister for Law, Justice and Constituent Assembly Dev Prasad Gurung said the productive sectors would not require to pay the “demand charge” until full supply of energy from the national grid, and they would pay only for the energy that the industries consume. Earlier, a delegation of industrialists and businessmen had met the PM and demanded that the demand charge be withdrawn. The cabinet has also appealed to all concerned not to call any bandh or general strikes on the national highways and industrial, health and education sectors.
Asked if the cabinet considered extending the tenure of the
eight brigadier generals, Gurung, who has taken charge of Information and Communications Ministry, said no such agenda was tabled in the meeting. “They were relieved lawfully,” Gurung said. The cabinet endorsed the six-point agreement reached between the Tharu agitating groups and the government on Saturday. Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar, Minister for Physical Planning and Works, said the agreement between the two sides would be executed by amending laws.
The cabinet appointed Bharatendu Mishra as executive director of the National Agriculture Research Council and Dr Yubaraj Sangraula as advisor to home minister.
http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullstory.asp?filename=aFanata0sa3qzpma0Va8pa.axamal&folder=aHaoamW&Name=Home&dtSiteDate=20090319
Monday, March 16, 2009
New contractor for Upper Tamakoshi
Himalayan News Service
Kathmandu, March 15:
The Nepali Army will complete the unfinished portion of the access road to Upper Tamakoshi Hydroelectric Project (UTHP), project director of the UTHP Mrigendra Bahadur Shrestha said today.
The UTHP has also annulled the contract awarded to PR Prakash Construction Joint Ventures, as it could not complete the construction of the access road on time. The contractor was supposed to complete the 6.5 km access road in 18 months. But it could construct only four kilometres of the road in three years, Shrestha said.
The Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Limited, a subsidiary of Nepal Electricity Authority, is negotiating with Nepali Army through the Defence Ministry to deploy the Nepali Army’s engineering unit for the construction.
The UTHP, located in Dolakha district, is a peaking run-of-river type project with installed capacity of 456 MW. It has to be completed by 2013 with financial and technical resources from within the country.
http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullstory.asp?filename=aNPata0sa3qzpma0Ua3sa.axamal&folder=aNPataiaoanaaal&Name=National&sImageFileName=&dtSiteDate=20090316
Kathmandu, March 15:
The Nepali Army will complete the unfinished portion of the access road to Upper Tamakoshi Hydroelectric Project (UTHP), project director of the UTHP Mrigendra Bahadur Shrestha said today.
The UTHP has also annulled the contract awarded to PR Prakash Construction Joint Ventures, as it could not complete the construction of the access road on time. The contractor was supposed to complete the 6.5 km access road in 18 months. But it could construct only four kilometres of the road in three years, Shrestha said.
The Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Limited, a subsidiary of Nepal Electricity Authority, is negotiating with Nepali Army through the Defence Ministry to deploy the Nepali Army’s engineering unit for the construction.
The UTHP, located in Dolakha district, is a peaking run-of-river type project with installed capacity of 456 MW. It has to be completed by 2013 with financial and technical resources from within the country.
http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullstory.asp?filename=aNPata0sa3qzpma0Ua3sa.axamal&folder=aNPataiaoanaaal&Name=National&sImageFileName=&dtSiteDate=20090316
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Call to ease legal hassles in hyropower development
Himalayan News Service Kathmandu, March 14:
The government needs to simplify the legal provisions related to hydropower projects and environment for the smooth progress of
hydropower projects, suggested a study report prepared by Independent Power Producers’ Association Nepal (IPPAN).
The report — ‘Legal Provisions on Forest and Environment related to Hydropower’ — raised the issue that the existing legal provision requires hydel projects to seek permission from more than one authority, including the Forest Department and Department of National Park and Wildlife Conservation. This is one of the major obstacles to smooth progress and development of hydropower projects, the report says.
There are at least 27 legal provisions related to hydropower projects, ranging from Forest Act, Environment Conservation
Act, Electricity Act, Consumer Protection Act, Income Tax Act and Hydropower Development Policy, among others.
Hom Bahadur Rawal, an advocate who carried out the study, said the hydropower projects were listed under the industry having adverse impacts on environment and thus a lot of time is spent on Environment Impact Assessment.
The existing legal provisions deny vehicular movement of more than five tonnes inside the project area and do not allow the construction of huts and temporary settlements, according to the study. Other impractical rules include no permission to block rivers, mine sand from rivers and use explosives for construction, according to Rawal.
Besides these provisions, lengthy procedure to make power purchase agreement delays the projects.
IPPAN president Dr Sandip Shah said the construction of reservoir hydro-projects would not move ahead in a smooth manner unless the government comes up with clear resettlement policy. “There are plenty of issues — like culture, heritage, aquatic life, compensation for land — which need to be considered while constructing storage projects,” he said. Dr Shah
cited an example of Budhi Gandaki hydro-project, which failed to generate interest of any investor when a tender for its construction was called. “Storage projects are important to generate energy during the dry season,” he said.
http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullstory.asp?filename=aNPata0sfqzpma0Ta8a9a.axamal&folder=aNPataiaoanaaal&Name=National&sImageFileName=&dtSiteDate=20090315
The government needs to simplify the legal provisions related to hydropower projects and environment for the smooth progress of
hydropower projects, suggested a study report prepared by Independent Power Producers’ Association Nepal (IPPAN).
The report — ‘Legal Provisions on Forest and Environment related to Hydropower’ — raised the issue that the existing legal provision requires hydel projects to seek permission from more than one authority, including the Forest Department and Department of National Park and Wildlife Conservation. This is one of the major obstacles to smooth progress and development of hydropower projects, the report says.
There are at least 27 legal provisions related to hydropower projects, ranging from Forest Act, Environment Conservation
Act, Electricity Act, Consumer Protection Act, Income Tax Act and Hydropower Development Policy, among others.
Hom Bahadur Rawal, an advocate who carried out the study, said the hydropower projects were listed under the industry having adverse impacts on environment and thus a lot of time is spent on Environment Impact Assessment.
The existing legal provisions deny vehicular movement of more than five tonnes inside the project area and do not allow the construction of huts and temporary settlements, according to the study. Other impractical rules include no permission to block rivers, mine sand from rivers and use explosives for construction, according to Rawal.
Besides these provisions, lengthy procedure to make power purchase agreement delays the projects.
IPPAN president Dr Sandip Shah said the construction of reservoir hydro-projects would not move ahead in a smooth manner unless the government comes up with clear resettlement policy. “There are plenty of issues — like culture, heritage, aquatic life, compensation for land — which need to be considered while constructing storage projects,” he said. Dr Shah
cited an example of Budhi Gandaki hydro-project, which failed to generate interest of any investor when a tender for its construction was called. “Storage projects are important to generate energy during the dry season,” he said.
http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullstory.asp?filename=aNPata0sfqzpma0Ta8a9a.axamal&folder=aNPataiaoanaaal&Name=National&sImageFileName=&dtSiteDate=20090315
Monday, March 9, 2009
Lower Modi hydel project on anvil
Himalayan News Service
Kathmandu, March 8:
The foundation stone for Lower Modi Khola Hydroelectric Project (20 MW) was laid on March 4. Situated in Parbat district, the project is a run-of-river type having 20 MW installed capacity, according to an official statement. With the source river Modi, this project will be able to generate about 124GWh of energy annually.
The project requires no additional access road and needs only about 4.5-km transmission line to connect it to the national grid. “If it gains support from all quarters, it can be constructed in two-and-a-half-year time period,” said the promoters — Hydro Solutions Group, KL Dugar Group, Murarka Group and Debenara Group. Nepal Investment Bank Ltd is providing financial assistance.
http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullstory.asp?filename=aBXaza0sa3qzpla9Sa9pa.axamal&folder=aBDasaian729&Name=Business&sImageFileName=&dtSiteDate=20090309
Kathmandu, March 8:
The foundation stone for Lower Modi Khola Hydroelectric Project (20 MW) was laid on March 4. Situated in Parbat district, the project is a run-of-river type having 20 MW installed capacity, according to an official statement. With the source river Modi, this project will be able to generate about 124GWh of energy annually.
The project requires no additional access road and needs only about 4.5-km transmission line to connect it to the national grid. “If it gains support from all quarters, it can be constructed in two-and-a-half-year time period,” said the promoters — Hydro Solutions Group, KL Dugar Group, Murarka Group and Debenara Group. Nepal Investment Bank Ltd is providing financial assistance.
http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullstory.asp?filename=aBXaza0sa3qzpla9Sa9pa.axamal&folder=aBDasaian729&Name=Business&sImageFileName=&dtSiteDate=20090309
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
