NEA implements stricter procedure for industrial power connections

KATHMANDU: In a recent development, the management committee of the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has taken a decisive step to connect electricity lines for industrialists only upon receiving a written instruction letter from the Council of Ministers. The decision, made during a board of directors meeting on Wednesday morning, reflects a new protocol aiming to ensure a more regulated and transparent process for industrial power connections.

The directive emphasizes that NEA will initiate the connection process only after receiving an official decision letter from the Council of Ministers. A director of the authority urged everyone to respect the decision made by the cabinet, highlighting that if necessary, a board meeting would be convened to formalize the decision to connect the power line.

The Council of Ministers, in its meeting on Wednesday, took a series of decisions related to the NEA. One notable decision was the formation of a three-member commission, headed by former judge Girish Chandra Lal, to handle dedicated and trunk line dispute resolutions. Simultaneously, the Council instructed the NEA to connect the power lines under its authority.

Energy Minister Shakti Bahadur Basnet played a key role in the cabinet’s decision to permit power line connections. The directive comes in the wake of the NEA’s initiation of power disconnections from December 22, citing instructions from Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal . This move resulted in the closure of 24 major industries, with one company managing reconnection the electricity after settling its outstanding dues.

According to NEA, the collective arrears of 61 industries, including fines, amount to a staggering 22.24 billion rupees. The new procedure seeks to streamline the power connection process, ensuring adherence to governmental decisions and financial commitments from industrial entities.