Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Minister Barshaman Pun Ananta said that the government will cut the electricity tariff next year as well. He said that this is for the first time in history that the government has reduced the tariff for household and industrial use. Minister Pun said that the government will further reduce the tariff next year to make it cheaper.

“At a time when the fifty-percent of the share of Khmti comes to NEA and 456 MW Upper Tamakosi will generate the electricity from coming winter, the government is in a position to trim down the tariff in the coming year,” said Minister Ananta.

Addressing a meeting of the working committee formed by the cabinet to come recommendation for the policy change in the energy sector, minister Pun aid that the per-unit average cost of electricity generated by Upper Tamakosi will be around Rs.4. With this cheap energy, NEA will be in a position to deduct the tariff.

He also said that the government is working to achieve the target set under the Energy Decade to produce 10-15 thousand MW of electricity. He said that it will be easily achievable.

He also informed that the ministry is planning to export 5000 MW energy out of 15,000 generations within a period. “With the investment of the government and private sector, we will achieve to produce 15000 MW of electricity within a decade.” He said that the demand for electricity is up now due to the increasing using induction and electric vehicles. Minister Pun said that there is a huge demand for electricity in the industrial and agriculture sectors.

The meeting also appointed Energy Secretary Dinesh Kumar Ghimire as a member sectary of the working group. The three-member committee includes the Finance Minister, Minister of Commerce, Supply and Industry Lekhraj Bhatta and vice-chairperson of National Planning Commission Dr. Pushpa Kanel.

The four-member committee will present a report to the cabinet following a study of existing energy policies, regulations laws and prepare a new reports based on the study.

Finance Secretary Shishir Kumar Dhungana, energy secretary Dinesh Kumar Ghimire, Commerce secretary Baikuntha Aryal and joint secretary of the ministry of Energy Prabin Aryal as invitee member.

Secretary of energy Dinesh Kumar Ghimire said that the ministry has been giving priority to infrastructures like transmission lines along with generation. He said that India is a highly potential market for Neal’s hydropower and Nepal has to take advantage out of this. Secretary Ghimire said that India is interested to import clean energy from Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan to avoid electrify generated by diesel power plants. The meeting also constituted a technical committee to prepare a technical draft under the coordinator of Joint Secretary Prabin Aryal.

The members of the committee include joint secretaries from Finance, Industry, Commerce and Supply, Forest and Environment, National Planning Commission, Energy Commission Secretariat, Director General of the Department of Electricity Development and a representative of Nepal Electricity Authority.