Kathmandu, January 5:

The 5.1 MW Andhikhola Power Plant, which is located in Syangja, has bagged the prestigious Blue Planet Prize of International Hydropower Association and UNESCO for the year 2005.

The plant was built with technical and financial assistance from the Norwegian Development Agency. Chairman of the executive committee of the Butwal Power Company (BPC), Gyanendra Lal Pradhan, received the prize on behalf of the company today.

The plant was given the award for achieving excellence in socio-economic benefits, environmental consideration and capacity building in hydropower development of Nepal. The International Hydropower Association (IHA) had announced the names of three winners of the 2005 Blue Planet Prize at an event held during the United Nations Conference of Parties on Climate Change in Montreal, Canada.

BPC believes that the winning of the award independently recognises its capacity in developing sustainable hydropower project and recognises the fact that Butwal Power Company is a socially and environmentally-responsible utility.

HE Anita Utseth, the Norwegian Deputy Minister for Petroleum and Energy, who presided over the awards ceremony, remarked that Andhikhola Power Plant (and other two projects) had demonstrated strong consideration of environmental, social and economic aspects and, as such were excellent examples of sustainable hydropower development.

Instituted by the International Hydropower Association in association with UNESCO to recognise excellence in sustainable practices at hydropower facilities, the prize is awarded in two years.