Kathmandu, February 18

The government has started to remove the wooden electric poles and replace them with metal and concrete utility poles to minimise the risks to people.

Responding to the questions posed by members of Federal Parliament today, Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Barsha Man Pun said that the government plans to replace all the wooden utility poles.

According to him, around 30,000 wooden poles have already been replaced, while around 300,000 more need to be replaced with concrete or metal poles.

Pun further informed that the task of replacing the remaining wooden poles will be decentralised and carried out in coordination with the provincial and local governments.

As per Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), around Rs five billion is needed to replace all the wooden poles and that it will be possible only when the local and provincial governments join hands with the NEA.

Pun further said that the government will be able to electrify all the local levels within the next two years. Currently around 10 per cent of the population still lack access to electricity and 21 per cent are yet to be connected to the national grid.

“Over the next two years, we plan to provide electricity access to 100 per cent of the population through an energy mix of gridtied and off-grid systems,” Pun said, adding the government is currently focusing on upgrading major transmission and distribution lines for reliable power supply.