KATHMANDU: Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Barshaman Pun, has directed Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) to make electricity service more efficient, reliable and effective across the country during the Dashain festival.
Calling a meeting with representatives of concerned departments of NEA on Thursday, Minister Pun instructed the officials of the power utility to provide regular electricity service to customers. He directed NEA to properly manage the electricity load as power consumption generally increases during the festive season than at other times.
He also expected NEA to handle its work efficiently so that there is no problem of power outage anywhere in the country during Dashain. Pun said, “I hope there is no complaint from any customer from any part of the country regarding the service of NEA.”
However, the minister expressed his belief that there would be no problem in the power utility’s service as there are qualified and experienced staff members at all levels in the authority.
Pun also urged the authority to keep its response team on 24-hour standby to resolve any problem instantly if there is any in its production, transmission and distribution service. He directed NEA’s Officiating Managing Director, Lekhnath Koirala, to resolve any problem immediately if there is any. “If it needs to be decided at the policy level through the board of directors then please inform me,” he added.
Informing about the sufficient amount of electricity during the meeting, Secretary at the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Dinesh Kumar Ghimire, appealed to all the officials of the authority to dedicate themselves in providing better service to the people.
Meanwhile, Koirala informed that electricity demand this year is less than in the corresponding period of the previous year due to the coronavirus pandemic. He stated that power supply will be regular during the festive season as not only is demand low this year but the supply mechanism too is better.
Suresh Bhattarai, director of the Load Dispatch Center, also assured the meeting that power supply would be regular as there is enough electricity. He said that the NEA and the private sector currently are providing 1,110 megawatts of electricity to the national transmission system but demand is only 700 MW to 800 MW.
Chief of NEA’s Broadcasting Directorate, Braj Bhushan Chaudhary, and Acting Chief, Dirghayu Kumar Shrestha, informed that there is no problem in their system and their team is ready to solve any problem immediately.
Minister Pun urged NEA to plan for Tihar as well by calling another meeting after the end of Dashain.