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Nepal’s Department of Electricity Development (DoED) has completed 32 years of service and entered its 33rd year of operation. The department, which operates under a one-window policy, has been providing services including survey permits, generation licences, monitoring, inspections, and royalty collection to support the country’s hydropower development.

According to the department, it has played a key role in promoting private sector participation in Nepal’s power sector by creating an investment-friendly environment and facilitating the licensing, management, and monitoring of electricity projects. It stated that the country’s significant increase in electricity generation in recent years has put Nepal on the path toward energy self-sufficiency. The department also noted that exports of surplus monsoon electricity to India and Bangladesh have begun contributing positively to the national economy.

To date, the department has issued survey licences for 244 hydropower projects with a combined capacity of 12,276.33 MW and 82 solar energy projects with a total capacity of 1,972.5 MW. It has also granted survey permits for transmission line projects covering 583.872 km of 400 kV lines, 911.320 km of 220 kV lines, 1,085.188 km of 132 kV lines, and 337.980 km of 33 kV lines.

In terms of generation licences, the department has issued permits for 264 hydropower projects with a combined installed capacity of 12,336.8 MW and 10 solar projects totaling 74.6 MW. Likewise, transmission licences have been granted for 1,070.084 km of 400 kV lines, 656.187 km of 220 kV lines, 1,608.084 km of 132 kV lines, 18.211 km of 66 kV lines, and 944.557 km of 33 kV lines.

During the current fiscal year, the department issued survey licences for 99 hydropower projects with a combined capacity of 3,211.491 MW and seven solar projects totaling 311 MW. It also approved survey permits for transmission projects covering 179 km of 220 kV lines, 270.158 km of 132 kV lines, and 132.7 km of 33 kV lines.

Similarly, in the current fiscal year, the department granted generation licences to 29 hydropower projects with a combined capacity of 1,857.6 MW and three solar projects totaling 31.2 MW. It also issued transmission licences for 458.206 km of 400 kV lines, 28.829 km of 220 kV lines, 92.315 km of 132 kV lines, and 76.228 km of 33 kV lines.

The department stated that since its establishment, it has been collecting approximately Rs. 3 billion to Rs. 3.5 billion in royalties annually, making a significant contribution to government revenue. As these royalties are also shared with provincial and local governments, they have played an important role in strengthening local economies and supporting regional development.

Highlighting the Government of Nepal’s ambitious target of generating 28,000 MW of electricity within the next 10 years, the department reaffirmed its commitment to making its role more effective, accountable, and results-oriented to help achieve the national goal.

Urjasanchar