September 11: Two electric charging stations have come into operation inside the Kalika Fuel Centre in Pokhara and the APF Welfare Service Centre in Kathmandu. 

Operated by the Armed Police Welfare Service Centre, APF Inspector General Raju Aryal, and executive director of the Nepal Electricity Authority Kulman Ghising jointly inaugurated the two charging stations amid a function. 

Each of the charging stations has 60 kilowatts direct current, 22 kilowatts alternating current and two fast chargers with 142 kilowatts each.  On 25 August, 2022, the APF and the NEA signed a memorandum of understanding to set up the charging stations. 

The NEA bore financial obligation and repair of the charging stations while the APF provided the land for the project.  APF Inspector General Aryal said the operation of the charging stations would encourage the use of electric vehicles.
 

Replacement of fuel vehicles by electric ones would save a large chunk of money spent on buying petroleum products thus reducing trade deficit in the future, he viewed.

Homework is underway to expand the establishment of more charging stations across the country as the use of electric vehicles helps increase the consumption of green energy produced within the country, said the NEA executive director Ghising. 

The NEA has established 51 fast charging stations at various places in the country. Similarly, the process to set up 11 more charging stations has been proceeded, it is said. 

The project has been executed with the NEA's investment, concessional loans from the Asian Development Bank and technical assistance from the Government of Norway, said the NEA. (RSS)