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The Bhotekoshi flood has caused an estimated Rs. 568 million in damage to household and community-based renewable energy systems in five districts, according to the Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA) report.

The inventory covers solar home systems, domestic biogas, institutional solar, micro-hydro, improved water mills and metallic improved cookstoves across Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Gorkha and Tanahun.

According to the report, 2,450 solar home systems, 2,740 domestic biogas systems, 13 institutional solar systems, 185 improved water mills and 795 metallic improved cookstoves were damaged.

A total of 92 kilowatts of micro-hydropower capacity was also affected.

Dhading recorded the highest number of affected solar home systems and domestic biogas plants, accounting for 49 per cent and 32.5 per cent of the respective totals.

According to the report, a total of 1,200 solar home systems were damaged in Dhading, followed by 450 in Tanahun, 405 in Rasuwa, 325 in Nuwakot and 70 in Gorkha.

Similarly, 890 domestic biogas plants were damaged in Dhading, while Nuwakot reported 750, Rasuwa 400, Gorkha 350 and Tanahun 350.

Similarly, 185 improved water mills were affected, including 75 in Nuwakot, 60 in Rasuwa and 50 in Dhading.

Rasuwa accounted for 45 kW, or 48.9 per cent, of the affected micro-hydropower capacity. The damaged cookstoves were recorded in Rasuwa and Nuwakot.

Domestic biogas systems account for the largest share of the estimated damage at Rs. 406.9 million, or 71.6 per cent of the total. Micro-hydropower suffered damage worth Rs. 62.1 million, while solar home systems accounted for Rs. 57.9 million.

The remaining damage was recorded in improved water mills, metallic improved cookstoves and institutional solar systems.

Rs. 1.65 billion needed for recovery

The report has estimated Rs. 1.65 billion in recovery needs for the renewable energy system.

Of this, Rs. 100 million has been identified for early recovery during the first six months, while the remaining Rs. 1.55 billion is for long-term recovery beyond six months.

The proposed early recovery measures include verification of damaged systems, identification of households and institutions lacking adequate energy alternatives, repairs where feasible, and provision of temporary lighting and cooking support.

Longer-term recovery would involve repairing or replacing damaged systems and restoring community energy services, in coordination with housing reconstruction and electricity-grid restoration.

The assessment noted that the damage and loss inventory does not establish unique beneficiaries, pre-disaster functionality, present service availability, or component-level repair requirements.

Verification of system locations, ownership, capacity and condition would support recovery targeting and costing, it said.

The assessment was conducted under the leadership of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), in collaboration with the National Planning Commission, federal ministries, provincial and local governments, security agencies and technical institutions.