Kathmandu, Oct. 13: The high-level taskforce formed by the government for the overall study of the country’s energy sector has initiated its performance.

The taskforce held its first meeting at the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation today.

A meeting of the Council of Ministers had formed the four-member taskforce comprising Energy Minister Barshaman Pun, Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Lekhraj Bhatta, the then Finance Minister and the Vice Chairman of National Planning Commission Dr Pushpa Raj Kandel.

The taskforce is assigned to submit policy-level recommendations on energy sector by studying the available power supplies, under-construction hydropower projects and others issues.

The Council of Ministers will unveil policies for the implementation on the basis of the taskforce’s recommendations.

Speaking at today’s meeting, Energy Minister Pun said that the electricity tariffs would be slashed in coming year too.

Saying that the Nepal Electricity Authority’s domestic and industrial costumers’ tariff was reduced in the current fiscal, Minister Pun stated that the power would be supplied next year in the reduced tariffs.

He was of the view that 50 per cent share of the Khimti Hydropower Project was now in government ownership and Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project would be completed within coming winter, making government in a position to supply power in comparatively low rate.

Today’s meeting has assigned Secretary at the Ministry of Energy, Dinesh Kumar Ghimire, as the member-secretary of the taskforce while some other officials are named as the invitee members in the panel.

Likewise, the meeting also formed a technical committee under the leadership of Energy Ministry’s Joint Secretary Prabin Aryal to draft the recommendation of the energy sector.

The technical committee is given the timeline of mid-November to submit the proposed draft of the policy to the taskforce by holding discussions with the stakeholders.