Laxmi Puja is considered a day of prosperity and happiness in Nepal. For Kulman Ghising, the Minister for Energy, Water Resources, Irrigation, Physical Infrastructure, Transport, and Urban Development, this day marks a turning point in his career.

This year has been particularly significant for him. Transitioning from Managing Director to Minister, Ghising is now overseeing the continuation of uninterrupted power supply during Laxmi Puja. Under his leadership, contractors have successfully tested floodlights at the Kirtipur Cricket Ground, Nepal's only international-level cricket venue.

Minister Ghising, hailing from the remote Ramechhap region, has earned the admiration of the Nepali people through his managerial skills, hard work, and dedication. His proactive approach and decisive actions have been evident throughout his tenure, including the successful installation and activation of floodlights at the cricket stadium.

By eliminating load shedding, Minister Ghising has garnered opposition from political figures, including former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. Oli, who was envious of Ghising's popularity among the public due to his diligent efforts, dismissed him just three months before the end of his second term as Managing Director.

Every year, the power demand peaks on Laxmi Puja, setting new records each year. The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) reported that the nationwide electricity demand on the evening of Laxmi Puja reached 1,690 megawatts. Out of the total generation of 2,656 MW, NEA plants produced 322 MW, NEA subsidiaries produced 696 MW, and Independent Power Producers (IPPs) generated 1,638 MW. This allowed Nepal to meet the total peak demand of 2,665 MW, with an additional 1,015 MW exported.

Tihar is celebrated as a festival of lights, brightness, and flowers, with the tradition of lighting lamps (Diyos) and decorating with flowers. Diwali (Deepawali) and lights are considered synonymous with each other. Last year, the total electricity demand on Laxmi Puja was 1,602 megawatts, indicating an increase of 88 megawatts compared to this year. Additionally, 1,015 megawatts of electricity were exported on Laxmi Puja, with exports to India and Bangladesh.

Minister Ghising Visited Load Center

Minister Ghising, now in a position of authority, visited the control room of the Nepal Electricity Authority’s Load Dispatch Center in Syuchatar to observe electricity demand and supply management. Accompanied by a team including the Secretary of the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Chairman of the Electricity Regulatory Commission, joint secretaries of the ministry, Director General of the Department of Electricity Development, and Executive Directors of NEA, they gathered information on the electricity demand and supply situation.

As in previous years, NEA successfully ensured uninterrupted electricity supply nationwide on the day of Laxmi Puja. To prevent power outages, heads of distribution centers and technical staff were placed on standby at power stations across the country.

Led by Manoj Silwal, Managing Director of NEA, Minister Ghising's two-hour visit to the center showcased his personal commitment to ensuring that Nepal becomes a nation with surplus electricity for both export and domestic use.

Ghising, who was appointed Executive Director in Bhadra 2073, managed the electricity demand and supply, initiating the trial phase of ending load-shedding in the Kathmandu Valley on the day of Laxmi Puja that year.

Appointed as Managing Director of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) in September 2016, just a month before the country was facing a prolonged period of decade-long load shedding of up to 18 hours daily, the team led by Ghising, with support from Minister of Energy Janardan Sharma Prabhakar, effectively managed the electricity demand and supply. On Laxmi Puja Day that year, they began the trial phase of ending load shedding in the Kathmandu Valley.

Minister Ghising strategically chose Laxmi Puja Day, a day of high electricity demand, to implement this historic decision. Despite challenges such as lack of generation capacity and poor infrastructure, including transmission lines and distribution systems with around 26 percent leakage, Minister Ghising's expertise and experience enabled him to achieve the seemingly impossible.

By carefully managing demand and supply, expanding transmission lines, enhancing distribution system capacity, and upgrading substations, Minister Ghising successfully fulfilled his promises, bringing light and happiness to the people of Nepal and making the nation free from load shedding.

In order to ensure the success of these efforts in the future, he took drastic measures to complete hydropower projects that were under construction by NEA. Despite facing disruptions, the 14 MW Kulekhani III, 30 MW Chameliya, and 60 MW Trishuli III A projects were completed within a year. Ghising began introducing 220 kV and 400 kV transmission lines, upgrading from the previous 132 kV system. He also accelerated the construction of the 456 MW Upper Tamakoshi project, which had been severely affected by various challenges.

With the support of IPPs generation and imports from India, NEA was able to maintain the momentum towards the end of load shedding, contributing 1 percent to GDP growth. During his second term as MD, Ghising successfully transformed Nepal into a net exporter of electricity to India.

Regardless of personal opinions, the undeniable truth is that Laxmi Puja marked the end of load shedding and a turning point for Nepal, as well as a significant milestone in the life of Minister Ghising, a relatively unknown individual from the Tamang family of Ramechhap.