Due to the recent political developments in the country, many industries and factories have shut down, leading to a decrease in electricity demand. The Nepal Electricity Authority has stated that the current average demand for electricity is 1,600 megawatts. According to Authority spokesperson Rajan Dhakal, the nationwide electricity demand has dropped by around 700 megawatts because of the closure of industries.

With industries shut down, electricity demand is low. The current average demand is about 1,600 megawatts,” he said, “whereas under normal circumstances, the demand would have been between 2,200 and 2,300 megawatts.

Dhakal said that although domestic demand for electricity has declined due to the shutdown of industries, exports have remained the same. According to him, an average of 1,000 megawatts of electricity is being exported to India and Bangladesh. “Electricity exports are normal; they haven’t been significantly affected,” he said. “Just because we have a surplus doesn’t mean we can export all of it. It also depends on India’s demand. Therefore, exports have not been greatly impacted.

According to the Authority, 3,600 megawatts of electricity are connected to the national transmission line. Of this, with the shutdown of reservoir-based hydropower projects such as Kulekhani, as well as some units of other hydropower plants, only about 3,000 megawatts of electricity are currently being generated, the Authority stated.

Due to prohibitory orders, curfews, and other restrictions in various parts of the country, industries have shut down, and protesters have set fire to large hotels, reducing major sources of electricity consumption. However, with only limited operation of government and private offices, most people are compelled to stay at home. As a result, household demand for electricity has also been increasing, he said.

Despite arson by protesters, the Authority has stated that electricity supply is continuing across the country. Dhakal said that although some feeders were shut down due to fires in certain areas, the full details of the specific locations have not yet been received. However, he added that electricity has been supplied to those areas through alternative arrangements.

We have already restored electricity supply even in areas where it had been disrupted,” he said. “It is possible that some local areas may still not have received supply, but we are working on it. Electricity has already been restored in the main areas.” The Authority has urged the public to report any irregularities in power supply to its 24-hour hotline 1950 or the nearest No-Light service center.

The Authority and its offices have not sustained any damage. However, issuing a notice on Wednesday, the Authority stated that some electrical infrastructure in Kathmandu and other parts of the country had been damaged, due to which certain feeders were kept in shutdown mode. The 45-megawatt Upper Bhotekoshi Hydropower Project has been shut down because of the protests.

The project promoter, Bhotekoshi Power Company, issued a notice on Wednesday stating that the project would be shut down. Balram Khatiwada, General Secretary of the Independent Power Producers’ Association Nepal (IPPAN), said that until now, no hydropower project had been reported as shut down due to the Gen Z movement, attacks by protesters, or other reasons. “We are asking IPPAN members to inform us if any hydropower projects have been shut down or needed to be shut down for various reasons including the Gen Z movement, but so far, no such reports have been received,” he said.

Source: Kantipur