The Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) has announced that it has taken a middle-ground initiative to resolve the long-standing dispute over the premium charges for dedicated and trunk line electricity connections.

At a press conference held on Tuesday at the FNCCI Secretariat, the Federation’s officials and representatives of the industrial community called for collective effort to make this initiative successful.

FNCCI President Chandra Prasad Dhakal stated that the Federation is confident its initiative - undertaken with the consent of the affected industrialists - will lead to both an immediate and long-term solution to the dispute.

According to FNCCI’s proposal, the industrialists will deposit the first installment - out of a total of 28 installments - of the disputed premium charge as a security deposit at the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA). In return, the NEA will reconnect the previously disconnected power lines.

Dhakal informed that discussions regarding this proposal had already been held on Monday with Prime Minister Sushila Karki, Finance Minister Rameshwar Khanal, Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Kulman Ghising, and Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Anil Kumar Sinha, among others.
“In recent days, I have made significant efforts on behalf of FNCCI,” he said. “This middle-ground approach will be an effective way to steer the problem between the NEA and the industrialists toward resolution.”

According to President Dhakal, once power supply is restored, the industrialists will pursue legal procedures for formal adjudication.

At the press conference, former president of the Cement Manufacturers Association, Dhruba Thapa, said that industrialists are ready to pay the amount equivalent to the first installment as a security deposit.

Due to the premium charge dispute, electricity supply to 25 industries had been disconnected. Of these, six industries paid the amount for the first installment on Monday and had their electricity supply restored.

Most recently, on Ashoj 12 (September/October), the Nepal Electricity Authority issued a public notice allowing payment of the outstanding dues in 28 installments and instructed industries to clear their dues accordingly. However, as some industries failed to pay within the given timeframe, the NEA disconnected power lines to 25 industries in two phases.