Kathmandu, May 11

The government is planning to expand electricity access to every household of the country within five years.

Even though electrification in the country dates back 104 years, 35 per cent of the households across the country still lack

access to electricity.

The recently unveiled white paper has also mentioned the government’s plan to ensure access to electricity for each household, stated Minister for Electricity, Water Resources and Irrigation (MoEWRI) Barsha Man Pun.

Addressing a programme organised by the National Association of Community Electricity Users Nepal (NACEUN) in Lalitpur today, Pun said the government had already called on domestic and foreign investors to invest in the energy sector.

He further added that the MoEWRI was collaborating with Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) to ensure electrification of all the areas that have still not been connected to the national grid.

He said that speedy completion of projects that are being constructed by NEA and independent power producers (IPPs) would help realise the government’s vision of lighting up the entire nation.

Iterating the government’s commitment of ‘Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali’, Pun stated, “The government is committed to build 10,000 megawatts of electricity within 10 years.”

The recent study carried out by NEA Engineering Company — a subsidiary company of NEA — showed that investment of Rs 204.37 billion (Rs 148 billion for generation and Rs 56.37 billion for transmission and substation) is required to ensure grid connectivity throughout the country within five years.