Kathmandu: Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Pampha Bhusal has said that the construction process of the 1,200 MW Budhigandaki Hydropower Project will be taken forward in the coming fiscal year.

Responding to queries raised in the parliament meeting on Wednesday, Minister Bhusal said that the construction process will start by preparing modalities for the development of the projects listed as the projects of national pride.

“From the point of view of energy security, it is necessary to build a reservoir-based project,” said Minister Bhusal. “Acquiring land after paying compensation for the 1,200-MW project, which is close to the load center, has been almost completed and the compensation for the houses is being distributed,” she added.

Minister Bhusal said that the process for the development of the Dudhkoshi (635 MW), Upper Arun (1061 MW), Tamakoshi-5 (100 MW), Sunkoshi-3 (683 MW), Naumure (377 MW), Nalgad (410 MW), Betan Karnali (439 MW), Phukot Karnali (480 MW), Chainpur Seti (210 MW) and West Seti (750 MW) projects has been taken forward so that at least one big project can be developed in all the seven provinces.

Minister Bhusal said that for the management of investment in the development of hydropower projects, investment has been collected from the private sector through a public hydropower program in line with the concept of public-private partnership for Jagdulla (106 MW), Upper Arun and Tamakoshi-5 (77.5 MW), and Simbuwa (70.34 MW). She said that the construction work has been started by managing finances for the hydropower projects.

“Energy should be used for a brighter future for industrialization, transport operations, agricultural development through irrigation, drinking water through elevators, electrical materials, with the belief ‘first for electricity, now energy for a bright future,’ adding that special priority has been given to the construction of substations, transmission and distribution lines to provide quality electricity.

The construction of transmission lines like Hetauda-Dhalkebar-Inaruwa, Hetauda-Bharatpur-Bardaghat, Kaligandaki Corridor, Marshyandi Corridor under construction will be accelerated further, the minister said. According to the Transmission Line Master Plan, the construction process will be started after completing the study of East-West High Voltage Transmission Line, and Butwal-Kohalpur, Bheri Corridor, Koshi Corridor, Karnali Corridor transmission lines. “In the coming fiscal year, budget has been allocated giving priority to rural electrification and renewable energy,” Bhusal said.

Madhesh, Bagmati, Gandaki and Lumbini provinces will be fully electrified by next year. In addition, full electrification will be done within the next two years by concluding a multi-year contract agreement for the expansion of the distribution system in Province 1, Karnali and Sudurpaschim provinces. The ministry has set a target of constructing 50 charging stations through Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) within the current fiscal year.

Minister Bhusal said that the projects under construction at Rasuwagadhi (111 MW), Upper Sanjen (14.8 MW), Madhya Bhotekoshi (102 MW) and privately promoted projects will add about 715 MW to the national grid. Hydropower projects with a total capacity of about 3500 MW are under construction at present.

Similarly, power projects with an estimated total capacity of 15,477 MW are being studied by the government and private sector, she said. Arrangements have been made to supply transformers and necessary electrical infrastructure for the charging stations being constructed by the private sector, according to the minister. The private sector has also set up 77 charging stations in different parts of the country, she said.