December 25: The Department of Electricity Development has asked 55 hydropower projects that have not started work after acquiring license to submit progress report.

The government plans to cancel the license of projects if their work progress is not satisfactory.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Thursday called Energy Minister Shakti Bahadur Basnet and directed him to initiate the process of canceling the licenses of hydropower companies that have acquired license but have not done anything worthwhile.

The department had earlier issued notices in the name of 55 hydropower companies on December 4 last year and asked them to appear with a written statement on their physical and financial progress after it was found that many companies had had not started work long after acquiring power generation license.

Director General of the department, Chiranjeevi Chataut, said that the department has asked for progress report from the companies that have not been working for a long time after obtaining the license.

Those projects have been contacting the department and submitting their progress report.

“We are also discussing the reasons why the work of the projects is stuck and what kind of assistance can be provided by the department. We are also looking into whether the projects can proceed with the work immediately or not and how to get rid of the problems," he told New Business Age, adding, "If the projects are found to have acquired  license but are unlikely to begin work, their license will be revoked immediately.”

There are both small and large scale projects that have not started work due to various reasons after acquiring permits. Those who have not submitted progress report include 42 MW Upper Modi 'A' Hydropower Project, 42.9 MW Ankhukhola Hydropower Project, 285 MW Upper Tamor Hydropower Project, 6.5 MW Rawakhola Hydropower Project, 10.4 MW Sabhakhola 'A' Hydropower Project, 20 MW Upper Magdi Hydropower Project, 4 MW Rupsekhola Hydropower Project, 243 MW Manang Masryangdi Hydropower Project, 140 MW Lower Manang Masryangdi Hydropower Project.

Similarly, the 440 MW Tila-1 Hydropower Project and the 420 MW Tila-2 Hydropar Project have also not provided progress report, according to the department.

Among the projects that have not submitted their progress report, some have stalled their work after completing 20/22 percent of the work, while some other projects have not even started their work. Chataut informed that some of them have not start work even eight years after obtaining the permit.