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Former Chairman of the Electricity Regulatory Commission, Dilli Bahadur Singh, has been honored with this year’s Urja Jyoti Award. The award was presented during the inaugural ceremony of the 24th Annual General Meeting and 8th Convention of the Independent Power Producers’ Association, Nepal (IPPAN).

Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Biraj Bhakta Shrestha presented the award to Singh along with a certificate of honor and a traditional shawl.

Regarded as a veteran administrator in Nepal’s energy sector, Singh contributed nearly four and a half decades through various government institutions. He served continuously in government service for about 38 years and held key positions in several energy-related agencies, eventually rising to the post of Director General of the Department of Electricity Development.

Even after retiring from the civil service, Singh remained actively involved in the energy sector. He was appointed Chairman of the Electricity Regulatory Commission and completed a five-year tenure. According to IPPAN, the Urja Jyoti Award was conferred in recognition of his long-standing contributions to the policy, administrative, and institutional development of Nepal’s energy sector.

However, according to energy sector experts, Singh’s recognition is not solely due to his lengthy government service. He is also credited with playing a decisive role in two major areas that significantly contributed to the development of Nepal’s private hydropower sector.

First, he took an important initiative to facilitate concessional refinancing through the Nepal Rastra Bank for financially distressed hydropower projects. At a time when many projects were struggling due to bank loans, construction delays, and cost overruns, the refinancing support provided much-needed relief. Energy developers believe that Singh’s efforts were instrumental in preventing the collapse of many private hydropower projects.

Second, he played a key role in creating an environment that enabled Nepalese hydropower companies to issue Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) to the general public. Energy sector entrepreneurs say he helped facilitate policy and administrative measures that allowed hydropower companies to access the capital market and expanded investment opportunities for ordinary citizens in the energy sector.

Beyond energy, Singh is also active in the field of literature. He has published more than half a dozen books and is known not only as a technical administrator in the energy sector but also as a writer. His works cover administration, society, philosophy of life, and contemporary issues.

The award was established in memory of the late Shrinika Guragain, daughter of energy entrepreneur and former IPPAN President Shailendra Guragain. The honor carries a cash prize of NPR 100,000.

Jalasarokar