Himalayan News Service

Lalitpur, July 6:

Hydropower and alternative energy experts have emphasised the need to link up micro-hydro electricity projects installed in rural areas with the central power transmission grid, so as to run them on a sustainable manner. Speaking at training programme on micro-hydel transmission connection, organised by Alternative Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC) here today, various speakers were of the view that a criteria towards this end should be developed.

Inaugurating the training, Dr Hari Krishna Upadhyaya, member of the National Planning Commission (NPC) urged for the development of an effective mechanism for linking rural electrification with the national grid for its sustainable development, as micro-hydel projects have a stake in rural electrification. Dr Janak Lall Karmacharya, executive director of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), expressed the view that a clear strategy should be formulated if linking up of micro-hydel projects with the central transmission is found to be appropriate from the point of view of economy and technical criteria.

Dr Madan Bahadur Basnet, executive director of AEPC, said alternative energy sources like micro hydel projects are reliable mediums for rural electrification. He also said that the training was organised with the objective of collecting recommendations and suggestions for developing a criteria in order to link up such projects with the national grid. Arne W Anderson, chief technical advisor to the Energy Sector Support Programme said micro-hydel power which has so far been used only to light bulbs in the evening could become more useful if it is hooked up to the national grid. Gerhard Fisher of Intech Agi Switzerland and Devendra Prasad Adhikari of the programme also shed light on the need for a criteria, linking micro-hydel to the national grid. Some 40 persons representing various micro-hydro electricity projects across the country are taking part in the three-day long training.