PM directs NEA to not stop power supply to industries for time being

Kathmandu, Sept 11: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' has directed the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) to not stop electricity supply to the industries until the dispute over the tariff related to the dedicated feeder and trunk line is resolved. He said a study is being carried out to resolve the dispute over the tariff.    

PM Prachanda telephoned NEA Managing Director Kulman Ghising and issued this directive following his meeting with a delegation of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) led by its president Chandra Prasad Dhakal at the Prime Minister's official residence at Baluwatar today.   

 
On the occasion, the Prime Minister assured that he would take the initiative to sort out the dispute at the soonest by keeping the FNCCI, the Electricity Regulation Commission and NEA in one place.    

The NEA had on September 3 issued a notice requiring the industries to pay within 15 days their outstanding electricity tariff of the dedicated feeder and trunk line. It had cautioned the industries that electricity supply would be stopped if they failed to clear the due tariff amount within the deadline.    

FNCCI has suggested to the government that special initiatives were needed to protect the industries in the present time of economic crisis when they are operating at less than 40 per cent of their capacity.    

"We need support and cooperation at the present time. Our demand is that more problems should not be created," said the FNCCI president Dhakal. FNCCI says the industries and businesses are facing a continued crisis following the COVID-19 pandemic and the entrepreneurs would be further discouraged if the power supply is cut in such a situation. (RSS)