Kathmandu, April 9

Minister of Energy Top Bahadur Raymajhi today said there would be only 3 to 5 hours power outage from Nepali New Year (mid-April) and there would no power outage at all from mid-April 2017.

Minister Raymajhi said the government had prepared necessary infrastructure to reduce power outage and people could see the results from mid-April.

Addressing an interaction at Reporters Club here today, he said the government would be able to produce enough energy and even export it.

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The minister said he had introduced master plan in consultation with energy experts which would help reduce power outage significantly. Raymajhi said the construction of Budhi Gandaki, Naumure, Nalsinghgadh, Upper Arun and Sunkoshi hydropower project would begin soon. The Minister said the government was not being able to import 600 MW of energy from India due to lack of sub stations in Dhalkebar and other places.

On a different note, the Minister said KP Sharma Oli led government would hand over power only after holding local and parliamentary elections.

Asked to clarify about reports that Unified CPN-Maoist Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal was trying to dislodge the current government, Raymajhi said, Dahal was not in favour of changing the government as it was a left government with top posts being held by leftists and left forces having greater influence in the country.

Raymajhi said dissatisfaction of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Kamal Thapa over the formation of committee to implement federalism would not make any difference. “Dissatisfaction among the coalition partners is natural but it does not affect the partnership,” he added. He also clarified that he would not join Baburam Bhattarai-led Naya Shakti, Nepal.