Kathmandu. To invest in Nepal’s energy sector, Indian business houses have sought the government’s support in resolving three major issues, including policy-level security of investment and returns. Indian business leaders participating in the Nepal-India Energy Summit organized in New Delhi, the capital of India, jointly organized by the Nepali Embassy in India and IFGE (Indian Federation of Green Energy) and with the institutional participation of Independent Power Producers Association of Nepal (IPPAN), said that they are excited to invest in Nepal if the government facilitates the resolution of three or four problems faced by hydropower projects in Nepal, including the need for protection of Indian investment through policy-level security, guarantee of returns, and easy withdrawal of investment.
Sushil Sharma, Project Director of the Indian company Satluj Hydropower Corporation (SJVN), which is constructing the 900 MW Arun III Hydropower Project in Nepal, said that the government is also facilitating the resolution of these problems, including problems with forests, land acquisition, customs, and roads to work in Nepal. .
He also said that SJVN is constructing a 217-kilometer transmission line and that 84 percent of the 900 MW project has been completed in 3 years due to government support.
He claimed that Arun 3 will make a big difference in Nepal’s economy as it will be handed over to the government after 25 years with an investment of 34,000 crore Indian rupees. He also said that this project will attract Indian investors to Nepal.
Jayaraman Punidhan, vice-chairman of Adani Group, one of India’s largest business houses, said that the company is looking for good projects to invest in Nepal’s hydropower sector. Stating that the Adani Group has signed an MOU for the generation of 27,300 MW of electricity worldwide, he also mentioned that the priority of the Adani Group is the neighboring and regional energy markets.
He also said that they are building projects in Nepal to export electricity and are also looking at government-owned projects for that. He said that the Adani Group is looking for opportunities and can move forward by partnering with anyone from the government or private sector in Nepal.
Vice Chairman Jayaraman said that the Adani Group will focus on developing 2,000 MW projects in Nepal this year and has set a target of generating up to 5,000 MW of electricity in the future. He clarified that the Adani Group plans to invest heavily in large hydropower projects. He said that since the pumped storage project in India has also been successful, a good pumped storage project can be developed in Nepal in 6 to 8 years.
Aakash Tripathi, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Power, India, said that since the infrastructure for the exchange of 1,000 megawatts of electricity between Nepal and India has been prepared and four transmission lines with a capacity to exchange 8,000 megawatts of electricity have been constructed, there will be no problem in exporting electricity produced in Nepal to India. He said that since electricity exports from Nepal have started not only to India but also to Bangladesh, an environment has been created where electricity generated in Nepal can be sold anywhere in India or Bangladesh as there is no consumption of electricity.
However, he also said that the issue of free energy to be given to the government by projects built by the private sector in Nepal should be reconsidered and the government should pay attention to issues such as forests, land acquisition, customs.
If the Nepalese government removes administrative obstacles and creates an investment environment, Indian investors are ready to invest in Nepal.
Turning the government’s target of 28,500 MW generation into reality If so, he stressed that the Nepal government should take some bold decisions to attract Indian investors.
Nepalese Ambassador to India Dr. Shankar Sharma said that the embassy organized this summit to achieve the Nepal government’s target of 28,500 MW of electricity generation by 2035. He said that Indian investors can buy ownership of projects in Nepal or work in joint ventures.
34 energy producers, including Senior Vice President Mohan Kumar Dangi, Vice Presidents Anand Chaudhary, Ram Prasad Acharya, Secretary Kabita Pokharel, Advisors Gyanendra Lal Pradhan, Guru Prasad Neupane, Krishna Prasad Bhandari, Batu Lamichhane, participated in the Nepal (India Energy Summit under the leadership of IPPAN President Ganesh Karki.
