Power Cuts Increase in Nepal

Power cuts increase in Nepal

KATHMANDU, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) — Power cuts are being increased over threefold from Sunday in most parts of Nepal, with generation from run-of-river projects dropping to less than half their capacity.

From the existing two-and-half-hour per household per week, power cuts are going up to eight hours per week in most parts of the country.

Even worse news is that after a month there will be steep and frequent raises in power cut durations, culminating in over 40 hours per week per household, according to a Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) forecast.

The country’s run-of-river projects that can produce 440 MW in total when run at full capacity produced only 230 MW Saturday due to a sharp decline in water level in the rivers.

The peak demand these days is 640 MW. The power availability at the moment is owed to 40 MW produced by the country’s thermal plants and 85 MW being imported from India.

Production from the country’s run-of-river projects is soon expected to dip as low as 185 MW.

According to NEA’s load dispatching center, households in the capital Kathmandu Valley will face power cuts for three hours in the morning once a week, and two-and-half-hour in the afternoon twice a week.

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