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Following the disaster caused by Bhotekoshi flood on August 26, an emergency meeting of the Senior Management Team (SMT) of the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation decided to provide, through the Alternative Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC), in coordination with the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), small household solar power systems and iron portable cook stoves for immediate relief to flood-affected families

Similarly, the SMT has also decided to provide institutional solar power systems for the provision of essential services at affected local government offices, ward offices, health posts, and other critical facilities.

Based on an assessment of progress in restoring electricity services and recommendations from the Nepal Electricity Authority, the Centre arranged a total of 10 sets of institutional solar power systems. Of these, 7 sets were procured by the Centre, while 3 sets were provided by other organizations under their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives—including one 1.8-kilowatt peak-capacity system from the Nepal Solar Electricity Manufacturers Association and two 1-kilowatt-hour power-backup systems based on 300-watt peak solar power from Asia Energy Pvt. Ltd.

In accordance with the decision of the meeting held on 2083/05/16 B.S., the above systems were dispatched to Bidur on 2083/05/17 B.S. for distribution by the respective local governments/wards. Of the 10 sets, 9 sets were allocated as follows: 4 sets for Wards No. 1, 2, and 3 of Gosaikunda Rural Municipality, Rasuwa; 2 sets for Wards No. 1 and 2 of Aamachhodingmo Rural Municipality, Rasuwa; 2 sets for Wards No. 10 and 11 of Bidur Municipality, Nuwakot; and 1 set for Ward No. 8 of Belkotgadhi Municipality, Nuwakot.

The remaining 1 set was sent to the Office of the Rural Municipal Executive, Baireni, for Ward No. 6 of Galchhi Rural Municipality, Dhading.

A total of 500 sets of solar power systems, each with a capacity of 20 Wp, procured and handed over by the Centre, have been sent to Rasuwa and Nuwakot. In addition, 105 sets of 20 Wp solar power systems received from the Solar Electricity Manufacturers’ Association of Nepal (SEMAN) have been sent to Bidur, the district headquarters of Nuwakot.

Demand is being collected from local governments in the flood-affected districts for the distribution of 2,000 sets of metallic improved cooking stoves (Natural Draft Portable Metallic Improved Cooking Stoves) procured by the Centre, as well as 10 institutional metallic improved cooking stoves to be provided by Husk Power Pvt. Ltd.

In accordance with this decision, the Centre has been continuously coordinating with the Ministry and the Nepal Electricity Authority to restore basic electricity services and ensure the supply of basic energy in the flood-affected areas. Accordingly, a brief summary of the activities undertaken by the Centre to date is as follows:

The Centre published a notice and initiated a special procurement process for 500 sets of 20-watt peak-capacity solar energy systems, 50 sets of 2-kilowatt peak-capacity institutional solar power systems, and 2,000 sets of improved iron cookstoves.

.As various local governments affected by the flood requested solar power systems to restore essential electricity services, the Centre, in coordination with the Ministry and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, handed over three sets of 2-kilowatt peak-capacity institutional solar power systems to Uttargaya Rural Municipality, Rasuwa, on 2083/05/13 B.S. These institutional solar power systems have been useful for providing immediate electricity services at schools, health posts, birthing centres, municipal offices, ward offices, holding centres, and other such locations.

An institutional solar power system with a capacity of 3.36 kilowatts peak, provided by Suryodaya Urja Pvt. Ltd. in coordination with the Centre, was installed and brought into operation at Trishuli Hospital, Nuwakot, on 2083/05/14 B.S. The system has supported the operation of essential hospital services, including the treatment of patients affected by the flood.

Of the additional 40 institutional solar power systems that the Centre plans to procure following the second publication of the procurement notice, the selection of locations for installing 20 institutional solar power systems is currently under the decision-making process.

Himalayan Cook Stove has proposed providing 50 portable cooking stoves through the Centre. Demand will be collected from local governments in the flood-affected districts, and the stoves will subsequently be distributed accordingly.

The Solar Power Producers’ Association, Nepal (SOPPAN), has proposed providing household solar power systems to flood-affected families. Discussions on this proposal are currently underway.

On 2083/05/15 (B.S.), a team from the Centre, including the Executive Director, participated in the field-level coordination of relief and rescue operations in the flood-affected areas led by the Honorable Minister.

The Deputy Executive Director of the Centre is representing the committee formed under the coordination of the Ministry to prepare the details of damage to energy-related infrastructure caused by the floods under the Rapid Disaster Needs Assessment (RDNA). With the Centre’s support, preliminary details of renewable energy projects and technologies constructed/installed with the Centre’s assistance are being prepared, and coordination with the Ministry is ongoing.

Technical Officer Saroj Bahadur Karki has been deployed to Bidur, the district headquarters of Nuwakot, to coordinate on-site the distribution of relief materials provided by the Centre.

A meeting was held on 2083/05/18 (B.S.) under the chairmanship of the Centre’s Executive Director, with the participation of Centre employees, office-bearers of the Solar Electricity Manufacturers’ Association of Nepal, and representatives of companies working in the solar energy sector. The meeting decided that the Solar Electricity Manufacturers’ Association of Nepal would coordinate with all organizations and institutions working in the solar energy sector and provide the Centre, by 2083/05/19 (B.S.), with detailed information/data on the availability in Nepal of various solar energy system technologies and technical human resources required to respond to and manage the disaster caused by the Bhotekoshi flood.

The Centre has prepared and submitted to the Ministry a proposal entitled “Emergency Solar Lighting and Communication Relief Initiative for Flood-Affected Communities.” Coordination is being carried out through the Ministry with various development partners to mobilize support in accordance with the proposal.