Kathmandu, Sept. 29
The government has prepared a new Integrated Power System
Development (IPSD) plan for the country with an aim to generate 36,326.9
megawatt electricity and investment requirement of US$ 61.75 billion (NPR
8,249.80 billion) by 2040.
The new IPSD plan has estimated that the country's energy
consumption will reach 62,390 GWh as per which the per capita consumption would
be 1779/KWh. The country's power consumption in 2022/23 was 9,347 GWh (320.5
kWh/capita). According to it, the per capital energy consumption in Nepal from
15 years now would be increased by more than five times.
The global average of power consumption is 3,265 kWh. Given
this scenario, the Plan said that although growth rate shows remarkable
expansion, consumption per capita is a realistic value compared to neighbouring
countries. "It is a high target but recognised as a feasible one,"
reads the report.
The IPSD outlined the energy development for the next one
and a half decades into three phases – at the interval of five years each. Installed
capacity for power generation was 2,247.7 MW in 2022 and it is estimated to
reach 28,215.1 MW in 2035.
IPSD Plan 2040 (Forecasts)
Sector |
2022/23 |
2040 |
Power consumption |
9347 GWh |
62,390 GWh |
Power
consumption/capita |
320.5 kWh |
1,779 kWh |
Power demand |
1986 MW |
11,510 MW |
Installed capacity |
2247.7 MW |
36,326.9 MW |
Self-sufficiency
rate |
86.3% |
185.5% |
Length of
transmission line |
4,068 km |
23,817 km |
Total cost estimate |
- |
US$ 61,750 million |
Source:
IPSD Plan/MoEWRI & JICA
According to the IPSD Plan formulated by the Japan
International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for the Ministry of Energy, Water
Resources and Irrigation (MoEWRI), after 15 years, Nepal will have 410.7 MW
installed capacity of solar energy (11 per cent), 9429.9 MW of storage-based
hydroelectricity projects (26 per cent), 11,832.4 MW from run-of-the-river
projects (33 per cent) and 10,930 MW from the Peaking RoR projects (30 per
cent).
JICA handed over the report to MoEWRI at a programme
organised in Kathmandu on Friday.
The new plan also presented a scenario of the development of
about 23,817 km long transmission lines by 2040 from current 4,068 km.
JICA has prepared the IPSD Plan in three years and said that
the new plan is consistent with the current development plans or studies
conducted in the power sector.
It has presented 27 projects as the priority ones of which
five – Tanahun, Arun III, Tila I, Tila II and Upper Marsyangdi – are in
construction phase. Eight identified priority projects are in the phase of
obtaining construction license, nine in survey phase, and one in survey license
phase. Four (Bharbung, SR-06 Storage, Sunkoshi III and West Seti Storage) are
the government projects.
Speaking at the programme, Senior Divisional Engineer of the
MoEWRI, Ashish Shrestha, said that current energy development action plan has
estimated that the country will need about US$ 46.5 billion by 2035.
The action plan included the activities in legal and policy
reform such as the approval of Electricity Act, dam safety guidelines,
inter-agency coordination and compensation measures. It also has plan to
develop storage projects like Dudhkoshi, Budhi Gandaki, Nalgad, Naumure and
Jagdulla, 400 kV transmission lines including Inruwa-Purniya and
Dodhara-Bareli, and substation capacity to 40000 MVA. The action plan also
envisions developing cross-border transmission lines for the exchange of 10,000
MW electricity with India and 5,000 MW to Bangladesh and China, rural
electrification and energy audit for large consumers.
Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 30 September 2024.
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