Kathmandu. Pokhara Metropolitan City (KMC) on Tuesday formally unveiled its first City Energy Plan (MEP) as an important step towards sustainable urban development and clean energy plan.
The five-year plan aims to expand energy access, enhance energy efficiency and promote renewable energy by addressing pokhara’s growing energy needs. It is expected to contribute to Nepal’s national energy and climate goals. Mayor of Pokhara Metropolitan City Dhanraj Acharya unveiled the plan amidst a program organized at the Metropolis.
Deputy Executive Director of Alternative Energy Promotion Centre, Kathmandu, Dr. Dr. Narayan Prasad Adhikari, Senior Energy Specialist, GIZ Nepal; Narayan Prasad Chaulagain, officials of the metropolis and representatives of the private sector were present on the occasion.
The plan, prepared by the Energy Development Sub-Committee, has been prepared through a nine-stage overall process with the technical support of GIZ Nepal’s ‘Rip-Green’ program. Discussions and consultations were held with various stakeholders during the preparation of the plan. The project was formally approved by Pokhara Metropolitan City in February 2018.
With an estimated cost of Rs 1.33 billion, the project envisages a long-term vision of ‘effective and sustainable energy for a prosperous Pokhara’. The plan has identified areas such as increasing the production and use of clean, effective and renewable energy at the household level of energy, promotion of renewable energy based on local sources instead of conventional and imported fuels, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by increasing energy efficiency in commercial and industrial sectors, raising awareness through policy initiatives and educational campaigns.
Speaking on the occasion, Mayor Acharya reiterated the metropolitan city’s commitment to effective implementation of the project in collaboration with all stakeholders. He said that the scheme would play an important role in the journey of making Pokhara a green and energy-friendly city. He expressed the view that such ambitious schemes could be successfully implemented if effective coordination between the three governments could be maintained.
The Rip-Green programme is a jointly funded programme by the European Union (EU) and the German Federal Ministry of Economic Co-operation and Development (BMZ). This program is being implemented in collaboration with GIZ and its partner organizations Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation and Alternative Energy Promotion Center. The programme continues to support inclusive, sustainable and gender responsive energy planning and capacity building in collaboration with local governments.
