Private sector's role sought in electricity sector

KATHMANDU: Lawmakers have called for encouraging the participation of the private sector in the development of the electricity sector.

During discussions held by the Infrastructure Development Committee with those seeking amendments to the Power Bill 2080 BS, participants emphasised that the Bill should be structured to promote private sector involvement in the development of the electricity sector.

Lawmaker Gagan Thapa highlighted the need to provide more opportunities for the private sector. He questioned the proposed provision that states it is unnecessary to hold competitions for power projects with 51% or more government investment. He proposed that local levels should be allowed to develop projects of up to 3 megawatts instead of the proposed 5MW.

Similarly, former Finance Minister Janardan Sharma advised the government to grant licences to power producers based on their competency and ensure competition in projects identified by the government. "National parks have caused obstructions in the operations of hydropower projects, and these issues should be addressed," he said.

Bina Lama also stressed the importance of securing the energy sector. She called for a substantive plan for the development of settlements. "The private sector should be encouraged to invest in power production, but where the private sector invests, the government should not. Otherwise, corruption will prevail."

Laxmi Tiwari and Kalpana Chaudhary supported incorporating the issues raised during the discussion into the Bill.