Electricity use up to 50 units per month to be free in monsoon

By Laxman Kafle,Kathmandu, May. 20: The government has announced plans to provide free electricity to consumers who consume up to 50 units per month in the rainy season and 30 units per month in winter.

President Ramchandra Paudel made this announcement while announcing the policies and programmes of the government for the upcoming fiscal year 2023/24.

The government will work to expand access to energy for all citizens.

In addition to providing free electricity to the poor, the government aims to make electricity accessible to all within two years. 

According to the government’s policies and programmes, the use of cooking gas will be replaced with electric stoves gradually.

The government has a policy to replace mineral energy with clean and renewable energy in order to achieve the goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2045.

Similarly, the government has announced to conduct a feasibility study of production and utilisation of hydrogen fuel and promote energy mix policy.

President Paudel said that the power generation, transmission and distribution will be progressed in a coordinated manner.

In order to increase the internal consumption of electricity produced in the country, the transmission and distribution system will be strengthened, expanded and new infrastructures will be built.

Also, the policies and programmes mentions to develop international electricity transmission lines and other infrastructure to increase electricity export.

Poudel said that the private sector will be made to participate in the electricity business.

“If the access road and transmission line required for the industry are constructed by the investors themselves, a certain amount of the construction cost will be reimbursed. Uninterrupted power supply to industries will be ensured,” said the President. 

The government plans to make the energy policy contemporary, to emphasise on the construction of reservoir projects in the upper coastal areas of the rivers, and to make the reservoir projects in the middle or lower coastal areas multi-purpose.

The government has said that priority will be given to the construction of mega hydropower projects with reservoirs.

President Paudel said that foreign direct investment will be attracted in large multi-purpose projects with reservoirs and other hydropower projects and that Budhigandaki hydropower project will be promoted with priority.

The government has said that a policy of mobilising internal and external capital through innovative financial instruments will be adopted for projects related to hydropower construction and transmission.

It is mentioned in the government’s policies and programmes that the underground power distribution system will be expanded in major cities of the country and all types of renewable energy will be connected to the national transmission line.