Nepal achieves energy self-reliance through 20-year hydropower policy

KATHMANDU: Barsaman Pun, Deputy General Secretary of the CPN (Maoist Centre), has cited the hydropower sector as an example of policy continuity in Nepal.

Addressing a program in Kathmandu on Wednesday, Pun highlighted that Nepal has maintained the same energy policy for the past two decades.

He credited this consistency for the country’s achievement of becoming load-shedding free and even exporting electricity to neighboring countries.

“While questions are often raised about the lack of policy continuity in Nepal, the energy sector—especially hydropower and renewable energy—has enjoyed consistent policies for almost 20 years. As a result, a country that once faced up to 18 hours of load-shedding daily is now free from it. We are even exporting electricity to our neighbors. Today, we are energy self-reliant,” Pun said.

He noted that Nepal has a greater number of run-of-river projects but emphasized the need to invest in reservoir-based projects to ensure self-reliance during winter months.

Pun also assured that there is no market problem for selling the electricity produced.