KATHMANDU: Amid fuel crisis caused by obstructions at Indo-Nepal border points and restricted supplies from India, the government is planning to speed up constructions of big hydropower projects, a source said.

The source said that the government is resorting to the move to make the country independent in terms of fuel production and narrow a huge trade deficit, deeming the hydropower as the best alternative to such steps.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Energy, Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, said that the government is planning to speed up construction of hydropower projects like the Budhi Gandaki.

Meanwhile, Dipak Rauniyar, Executive Chief of the Jalabidyut and Bikash Company, said that there is no need to ask for foreign investment in up to 1,000-megawatt hydropower project as investors in the nation are ready to invest.

Earlier, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli recently said that existing load shedding hours could be ended within one year if all under-construction hydropower projects were completed by then.

Minister Rayamajhi said that around 500 megawatt power would be imported from Dhalkebar-Mujaffarpur Hydropower Project under Nepal-India transmission line.

The country imports fuel worth around Rs 140 billion from foreign countries with liquefied petroleum gas worth around Rs 40 billion alone.