Kathmandu. Women’s leadership in Nepal’s hydropower sector is opening up new possibilities. Nepal’s biggest hydropower project, the Tila-1 with a capacity of 440 MW, is being led by women.
Sushan Karmacharya is leading the Tila-1 project which is sponsored by SC Power Limited. She has taken the project forward, the biggest ever hydropower project being constructed with domestic investment from the private sector to the stage of financial management.
The estimated cost of the project is Rs 58 billion for the total capacity of 298 megawatts. For this, banks and financial institutions including NMB Bank have committed to invest around Rs 44 billion. The promoter group will invest around Rs 14 billion in equity.
Prabhu Bank, Global IME Bank, Himalayan Bank, Rastriya Banijya Bank, NIC Asia Bank, Agriculture Development Bank and Nepal Infrastructure Bank will invest in the project. In addition, various investment companies and hydropower companies are also investing.
440 MW Target
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Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has signed power purchase agreement with Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) for 298 MW of electricity at present. Remaining 142 MW electricity will be exported to India. The project headworks and tunnel will have a full capacity of 440 MW.
The project aims to export electricity to India once the private sector gets the license to trade electricity. The total cost of the project is estimated to be around Rs 68 billion.
From Cooperatives to Hydropower Leadership
The entry and expansion of Karmacharya, who is leading Tila-1, in the energy sector can also be taken as an example of women entrepreneurship. She has already constructed 5 MW Eastern Hydropower, 7.27 MW Yambling and 24 MW Madme Khola Hydropower Project to generate electricity.
Karmacharya is also the Vice President of Independent Power Producers’ Association of Nepal (IPPAN). Karmacharya, who entered the energy sector from the cooperative sector, is now leading the largest hydropower project in the private sector.
New Message for Women’s Leadership
The story of Tila-1 is not just about the construction of a mega hydropower project; It is also an example of the growing leadership of women in Nepal’s energy, entrepreneurship and investment sectors. At a time when women’s leadership in big infrastructure projects is still limited, the successful mobilization of 44 billion rupees in loan investment and the development of the 440 MW project can be a significant achievement for Nepali women entrepreneurship.
Nepal’s hydropower development is no longer limited to increasing production, but is linked to private investment, international electricity trade, foreign exchange earnings and women’s leadership. Projects like Tila-1 are expected to accelerate this change.
