Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Physical Infrastructure and Transport, and Urban Development, Kulman Ghising, said that efforts are being made with high priority to improve the demand side so that the electricity produced can be consumed within the country.

On the occasion of the 29th anniversary of the Alternative Energy Promotion Centre, Minister Ghising stated at a program organized in the capital on Tuesday that to increase electricity consumption, initiatives have been taken to promote the use of electric vehicles by establishing charging stations and encouraging the use of induction stoves, among other measures.

“At present, we are mainly consuming electricity within the country and exporting the surplus electricity generated during the rainy season to India and Bangladesh. However, our priority is to increase domestic electricity consumption. For this, we can expand charging infrastructure and replace the firewood and gas currently used for cooking with electric stoves to increase electricity demand,” he said. “We have been moving forward with an action plan to promote energy efficiency, energy transformation, and the growth of domestic electricity demand.”

Stating that the government is ready to sign Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) to support companies interested in investing in wind energy, Minister Ghising said that the government has adopted a policy to connect solar energy to the national grid and to develop energy storage systems.

Expressing gratitude to various donor agencies for their support in promoting alternative energy and contributing to Nepal’s energy transformation, Minister Ghising said that the scope of work of the Alternative Energy Promotion Centre will be expanded.

At the program, Secretary of the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Chiranjeevi Chataut, stated that the Centre has made a significant contribution to clean energy promotion and electrification in remote areas.

German Ambassador to Nepal, Udo Eugen Volz, said that Germany is ready to support Nepal in areas such as sustainable energy development, livelihood improvement, and low-carbon energy transition. Germany has been providing both technical and financial assistance to Nepal’s energy sector.