Heavy damage to power sector due to Bhotekoshi flood, 12 projects of 431 MW closed

Kathmandu. About 10 percent of the country's total power generation capacity has been affected due to the floods in the Bhotekoshi River in Rasuwa. After the floods caused great damage to power generation, transmission and distribution structures, power supply management has become a challenge.

According to Viraj Bhakta Shrestha, Minister of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Nepal Electricity Authority is working with high priority to maintain balance between electricity demand and supply. Although the authority has succeeded in keeping the electricity system balanced so far, the necessary preparations have been intensified as there may be more challenges in the future due to the heavy damage caused by the flood.

According to preliminary information, 12 power generation stations with a capacity of 431.1 megawatts have been shut down due to floods and have been disconnected from the power system. Similarly, Minister Shrestha has informed that preliminary information has been received that 15 hydropower projects under construction with a total capacity of 470 megawatts have been damaged.