Binod Kumar Shah

Binod Kumar Shah (file photo)
Assistant Minister for Water Resources Binod Kumar Shah said that the government was committed to go ahead with the implementation of various power projects even if the parties, which had pledged to join the project, did not do so.

He was referring the 300-MW Upper Karnali project, which was supposed to be undertaken with an Indian company as a partner. “Since they (the Indian side) have not shown earnestness to do it quickly, we are thinking of doing it ourselves,” Shah said during a programme in the capital on Wednesday.

The government has already directed the concerned agencies to utilize alternative resources to tackle the possible shortages of electricity, which normally happens when the water level declines in the rivers, he said, according to reports.

“The government was busy carrying out the necessary homework to avoid load shedding by making up for the power crunch during the winter through alternative sources,” he added.

Minister Shah also said that the government was doing detail homework under the ‘National Water Plan,’ one of policies of the present government to seek private sector participation for the management and generation of electricity.

“The new laws would end the monopoly of the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), which is running at a loss. Such type of unbundling schemes of the government would not affect the management of the NEA and its employees,” Minister Shah added.

He also expressed commitment to push projects like Western Seti, Upper Tamakoshi, Chamelia Gad, Upper Seti and Mid Marsyandi power projects with partnership of companies from various nations including Japan, China and Korea.

He said the government was cutting down the interest rate of loan given to NEA to 7 percent from the current 10 percent to minimize the loss incurred by the power monopolist of the country.