Manoj Silwal, the newly appointed Managing Director of the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), has shown his adeptness in managing systems effectively during disasters and crises. Heavy rainfall over the weekend (October 3-6) caused floods and landslides that disrupted hydropower plants, transmission, and distribution systems in the mentioned provinces.

Minister Kulman Ghising, in charge of Energy, Water Resources, Irrigation, Physical Infrastructure, Transport, and Urban Development, visited the Load Dispatch Centre at NEA on Monday evening. During the visit,

MD Silwal briefed Minister Ghising on national electricity generation, transmission, distribution systems, grid operations, electricity demand and supply management, electricity export, and the damages caused by recent natural disasters. Minister Ghising, a former MD of NEA, acknowledged the frequent complaints about power outages and discussed necessary short-, medium-, and long-term policy and technical reforms to improve the reliability, quality, safety, and modernization of the electricity system.

In some rural areas of those provinces, communication services have been disrupted due to power outages. With the support of Minister of Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation Kulman Ghising, NEA was able to restore most of the transmission lines and distribution systems to provide electricity.

Drawing on his past experiences and expertise at NEA, MD Silwal ensured uninterrupted power supply in the Kathmandu Valley. Recognizing Silwal's capabilities, Minister Ghising successfully advocated for his appointment to Prime Minister Sushila Karki.

MD Silwal worked closely with NEA's technical team to restore electricity in Gandakai, Bagmati, and Madhesh Provinces. He also oversaw the power restoration in Ilam and is currently focusing on other areas of the district. Silwal acknowledged Minister Ghising's support for enabling the restoration efforts.

Following flood damage on July 8, one of the 60 MW units at the Trishuli 3A Hydropower Plant was offline until Silwal took over as MD. After a brief maintenance period, Trishuli A is now operating at its full capacity of 60 MW.

With Silwal's involvement, both hydropower plants have resumed producing 45 MW of electricity after a nearly three-month disruption, resulting in significant revenue losses.

Upon assuming his position, MD Silwal discovered that the Chameliya Hydropower plant was only generating 15 MW out of its 30 MW capacity. He took immediate action, resulting in the plant now operating at its full 30 MW capacity. Silwal is known for his preference for achieving high results while maintaining a low profile.

Under MD Silwal's guidance, electricity exports to India have successfully increased from around 900 MW to over 1000 MW per day recently. Silwal, who retired as the Deputy Managing Director of NEA after a 30-year career in the second week of Magh (around January–February), was a trusted colleague of MD Ghising before his retirement.

Minister Ghising's initial decision upon taking office on Bhadra 30 (September 15) was to recover dues related to dedicated and trunk transmission lines, revitalizing NEA.

Ghising recommended Silwal as his partner to implement the plan. Before becoming Minister, Kulman had received approval from Prime Minister Sushila Karki to appoint Silwal as the new MD. Sources suggest that Ghising had informed Karki about the importance of aligned leadership at NEA to support his plans, which Karki agreed to.

By collaborating closely with Minister Ghising to ensure efficient service delivery, MD Silwal has demonstrated his skills and decision-making abilities. Minister Ghising directed NEA to promptly repair damaged structures and restore electricity supply.

Minister Kulman Ghising, responsible for Energy, Water Resources, Irrigation, Physical Infrastructure, Transport, and Urban Development, inspected the Load Dispatch Centre at the Nepal Electricity Authority. The visit took place on the evening of Monday, 6 October, in Syuchatar, Kathmandu. The purpose was to assess the national electricity generation, transmission, distribution systems, grid operations, electricity demand, supply management, electricity export, and damages to power projects due to floods and landslides.

As a former Executive Director of the Authority, Minister Ghising discussed necessary short-, medium-, and long-term policy and technical reforms to improve the reliability, quality, safety, and modernization of the electricity system in response to widespread power outages complaints. He emphasized the urgent

need to restore electricity services by repairing flood and landslide-damaged structures and instructed subordinate offices to be ready to address frequent power outage complaints.

Ghising urged the Authority's management to operate power plants, transmission lines, and substations at full capacity, focusing on the construction of the 220 kV Marsyangdi Corridor and the 400 kV Hetauda–Dhalkevar transmission line crucial for electricity supply. Additionally, preparations for managing electricity during the upcoming winter season were emphasized.

During the visit, detailed information on power generation, demand, supply, export, system operation status, and related issues was provided by Managing Director Manoj Silwal and Centre Director Chandan Kumar Ghosh. Efforts are underway to repair flood and landslide damage and restore electricity services.

Nepal has generated revenue of Rs 15 billion by exporting 1,000 MW of electricity to India, which has significantly contributed to the country's economic recovery and reconstruction efforts. Minister Kulman Ghising emphasized the importance of this electricity export.

Ghising initiated the electricity export program four years ago during his tenure as MD of NEA. The electricity exports to India have had a transformative impact. Minister Ghising has instructed officials to use energy efficiently and has expressed interest in increasing the current volume of exports through discussions with Indian authorities. He expressed gratitude to the Indian government for supporting Nepal's electricity exports.

Managing Director Manoj Silwal mentioned that an average of 1,000 megawatts of surplus electricity is exported daily after meeting domestic demand. Nepal has exported around Rs 15 billion worth of electricity since the beginning of the current fiscal year 2082/83 (B.S.).

Electricity is sold competitively in India's Day-Ahead and Real-Time markets through the Indian Energy Exchange (IEX) and through bilateral medium-term power purchase agreements with the states of Haryana and Bihar.

India's transmission infrastructure is utilized to export 40 megawatts of electricity daily to Bangladesh, with transactions conducted in Indian Rupees (INR) and U.S. Dollars (USD). Nepal earns revenue in both currencies from these exports, with approval to export up to 1,165 megawatts to India and Bangladesh.

The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) is on high alert to prevent damage to electrical infrastructure from disasters such as heavy rainfall, floods, landslides, and inundation. Teams are prepared to swiftly repair and restore power supply in case of any disruptions.

NEA Managing Director Manoj Silwal has ensured readiness to assess potential damage to critical infrastructures and increase staffing at hydropower dam sites. Measures include deploying more employees per shift, preparing pumps for water drainage, and protecting transmission towers in landslide-prone areas.

In the event of infrastructure damage, the public can report issues to distribution centers, the "No Light" Helpdesk, or call the hotline number 1150 for a prompt response from repair teams.

MD Silwal is dedicated to enhancing service delivery and meeting the needs of the Nepalese people as per Minister Ghising's directives.