Says hydropower is not a foreign policy issue

Kathmandu, September 19:

At a time when issues governing Nepal’s hydropower development and ‘challenges and opportunities’ facing this sector, as deliberated upon during the Power Summit (September 17-18) in the capital, are being hotly debated, experts and stakeholders are pointing at the need to adopt ‘a balanced and comprehensive way’ to move ahead and foster a new ‘partnership strategy’ with India, which is a natural player in Nepal’s hydropower sector.

Bishal Thapa, Managing Director of ICF International, a global professional services firm, told THT that hydropower is “not a foreign policy issue” anymore and should rather be taken as a business matter. “Some engagement at the top level is required, but there is a need to disentangle the issue so that fruitful decisions are made at business-to- business or corporate-to-corporate level.”

There should be engagement directly with emerging markets in India and “we must build and strengthen corporate relationships that minimise the need for government engagement,” he added.

ICF International, headquartered in Virginia, USA, is one of the world’s largest specialist energy consulting firms. It partners with governments and commercial clients to deliver consulting services and technology solutions in energy, climate change, environment, transportation, social programmes, health, defence, and emergency management. Responding to a query on India’s growing energy need, he said: “India has a shortage now and is under pressure to keep the electricity price low. Which means it is a perfect opportunity for Nepal to sell energy to India. In the next 15 years, that shortage will be highly minimised.” “Literally, the time is now or never,” he emphasised.

In his view, Nepal should take “an integrated approach” in this regard and learn from Bhutan’s experience. Such an approach ‘has been missing’ here. “Bhutan capitalised in its hydropower and its GDP has now reached an all time high,” he added. Bhutan is generating 1,400 MW, most of which is exported to India. He elaborated on the challenges facing the country. He said the challenges are on two fronts. On the government’s side or the policy-level, he firmly said, there should be consistency in application. “The rules cannot change in the middle of the game.” And on the private sector’s side, he said: “The developers have not been able to bring together all the stakeholders.”