December 26: The government has granted permission to a subsidiary company of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) to trade electricity. A recent meeting of the Council of Ministers issued the permission to the Nepal Power Trade Company of NEA to trade electricity.

Minister for Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation Pampha Bhusal unveiled the cabinet decision in this regard at a press conference on Friday, December 24. She also said that the government is making preparations to allow private companies to get involved in electricity trading.

During the press conference, Minister Bhusal also said that the government will formulate a policy related to electricity consumption in order to reduce the import of petroleum products.

She said that the government has already adopted a policy to replace gas stoves being used in the organized sector with electric stoves.

“The government has adopted a policy of encouraging the establishment of big industries that consume electricity and the promotion of electric vehicles. For this, I am having regular discussions with government and private sector organizations,” she said.

Minister Bhusal also informed that the Electricity Distribution Regulation 2069 has been amended and rephrased to Consumer Friendly Electricity Distribution Regulation. According to Minister Bhusal, customers can get electricity easily when they ask for it. Electricity up to 100 kV will be available to all. Likewise, community dairy farms, cold storages, and drinking water and irrigation sector will be availed up to 200 kV from the transformer of NEA.

"Now, even those living in rented houses can become customers of NEA by subscribing  a separate meter from the authority, and even those living in apartments and colonies can become customers by taking a separate meter. Millions of people living in urban areas will benefit from this," she shared. 

Minister Bhusal added that initiative has been taken by preparing an action plan to fully electrify the country within the next two years in collaboration with Nepal Electricity Authority and Alternative Energy Promotion Center.

Stating that the construction works of national pride projects have been expedited, she said that the irrigation facility has been expanded by constructing shallow and deep tube wells.

Bhusal said that action plans are being prepared to move forward semi-reservoir and reservoir projects in every state through the Electricity Authority.

Similarly, stating that special priority has been given to the monitoring and necessary coordination for speedy completion of transmission lines that are currently under construction, Minister Bhusal said that the construction of transmission lines and substations has been expedited through coordination between NEVIPRA and National Grid Broadcasting Company.

Likewise, stating that the tariff of charging stations of electric vehicle has been fixed to encourage the use of electric vehicles, she said, "The construction work of charging stations across the country has been expedited through NEA." Arrangements have been made to set up charging stations individually, privately, and institutionally.