National 12 (Spotlight Weekly)

Spreading The Light

Small hydro-power plants may be ideal for the country, experts say

By AKSHAY SHARMA

The irony of a land known for its thousands of snow-fed rivers and streams having to worry about water and electricity has been well documented. Some 85 percent of Nepal's population remain deprived of electricity, while the capital city continues to thirst for drinking water.

Against the background of this gloom, it is easy to forget that Nepal had an early start in power generation. The 500 KW Pharping plant was built in 1911 during Prime Minister Chandra Shamsher Rana's rule, to meet the requirements of members of the ruling class. In keeping with the tradition of the time, the electricity was called "Chandrajyoti" (The Light of Chandra).

Ninety years after the Pharping plant was built, barely 15 percent of the Nepalese people have access to electricity. High construction expenses, significant transmission and distribution leakage and endemic corruption have made power generation costs in Nepal one of the highest in the world.

In recent months, hydro-power plants have become a favorite target of Maoist rebels, who have embarked on a systematic campaign to destroy the few infrastructure projects Nepal has managed to build over the last four decades. Nevertheless, some experts say, small hydro-power plants remain the best hope for Nepal.

A micro hydro-power project has been completed at a remote hilly village in eastern Nepal under the welfare scheme of the Embassy of India for Nepalese soldiers who have retired from the Indian army.

"The project has been implemented at a cost of Rs 24 million at Sarange village, in the eastern district of Panchthar, where most of the people are retirees from the Indian army," said Major Amit Kumar Chatterjee of the Pension Disbursement Office at Dharan.

An equal amount was mobilized for a micro hydro-power project, implemented with the technical cooperation of the Central Electronic Cooperation of India of the Indian government, at Badgaon Arkhale in the western district of Gulmi, Major Chatterjee said.

Some 135 households have benefited from the Sarange project. Eight schools, healthposts and the office of the Village Development Committee have also been receiving power, according to Major Chatterjee.

"The micro hydro-power project, considered suitable from the safety point of view, also has lit 56 street lights at Sarange village," he said. "The same procedure has been adopted for electrification at Badgaon Arkhale of Gulmi."

"As the two projects, which have been implemented on an experimental basis, have proved to be successful, 64 similar projects will be launched in the remote hilly districts of Nepal," Major Chatterjee added.

"More than Rs. 1.536 billion will be required to supply power to Nepalese retiring from the Indian army, and the entire sum will be borne by the government of India," he said.

"Chandrajyoti " was not intended for the common people, especially in view of the closed nature of the regime of the time. But today's transparent climate is conducive to spreading the light - which experts say could be feasible through small hydro-power projects.