Nepal, France sign MoU to begin HydroNepal Project

 Kathmandu, Feb 8: The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), the Embassy of France in Nepal, and Blue Water Intelligence (BWI) on Friday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the launch of the HydroNepal Project. 

NEA Managing Director Kul Man Ghising and CEO of BWI Jeremy Fain signed the MoU at the presence of French Ambassador Virginie Corteval.

"This initiative marks a significant milestone in digitizing Nepal’s river basins to optimize its vast hydropower resources and support preparedness for hydrological risks," the French Embassy mentioned in a press statement.

The project is expected to support Nepal’s long-term vision for low-carbon energy development by digitizing basin data and providing advanced hydrological insights, including river discharge forecasts, flow duration curves, and flow frequency analysis. 

By collaboration between NEA, BWI and the Central Department of Hydrology and Meteorology of Tribhuvan University (TU), the project aims to enhance the understanding of hydrological processes in the Himalayan region under a changing climate and their impact on hydropower generation.

On the occasion, the French Ambassador described the project as a "testament to the strong commitment between Nepal and France in advancing sustainable energy". 

Similarly, NEA Managing Director Ghising emphasized the importance of collaboration to make this project a success adding that this would serve as a foundation for more cooperation between Nepal and France. (RSS)