The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has reduced the load shedding hours by 16 hours a week effective from Wednesday.

NEA said increase in the water level at Kulekhani reservoir in Makawanpur has helped to reduce the load shedding hours. Kulekhani produces 90 MW of hydropower at full capacity.

The load shedding hours will be reduced only at night time while the daytime schedule will remain the same. Till Tuesday, the NEA had been continuing load shedding for 40 hours a week citing decreasing water level in reservoirs.

NEA had estimated that the water level at the Kulekhani reservoir would decrease by eight meters during the last month but the depletion was only two meters due to less demand.

The continued closure of industrial activities due to terai unrest had reduced the demand for power.