How To Increase Electricity Consumption?
How To Increase Electricity Consumption?
Rabindra Dhungel
Covid, like many other economic and social sectors, adversely affected the chain of energy consumption. The 'futures' price of petroleum in the world market turned negative. This upset the international exchange system.
The impact of the epidemic has also increased in Nepal, especially in hydropower. Due to the Lockdown, the generated electricity could not be consumed. There was a big problem in electricity consumption when all businesses in the service sector such as industry, schools and hotels were close.
On the other hand, the work of the power project under construction has also been affected. Due to the impact of Covid all over the world, the necessary materials for the project could not come even after the end of the Lockdown. This has delayed the construction of hydropower projects, transmission lines and substations. Thus the epidemic has brought problems in both production and consumption.
The demand for electricity, which is increasing at an average of 15 percent per annum, could not increase after Covid. On the contrary, even normal consumption has been declining and becoming negative. The cycle of electricity demand stopped. Nepal may need to intervene in the energy sector to fill this gap.
As soon as the demand decreased, electricity was wasted. During the night, electricity was wasted every day. Even in the afternoon, the production was more than the demand.
On the one hand, the electricity produced was wasted and on the other hand, various discounts had to be given to the consumers affected by Covid. The failure to collect the electricity tariff on time due to Covid has weakened the NEA financially.
Covid has had a huge impact not only within the country but also in the international electricity trade. Under normal circumstances, Nepal could export a lot of electricity to India at night. Due to the closure of Covid, even in India, industries could not run there and a large part of the electricity that can be exported from Nepal at night is being wasted.
Dozens of projects under construction have been pushed back. Without Covid, dozens of private sector projects, including Upper Tamakoshi, would have been completed. However, it is seen that these projects will take a long time to complete due to the closure of the company producing the equipment required for the project due to the epidemic.
Most of the equipment used in power projects in Nepal has to be imported from China. Work on hydropower, transmission lines, substations and solar projects, which were nearing completion, was delayed due to untimely initiatives to reopen Chinese ports or lack of significance.
Thousands of trucks are still stranded at Chinese ports. No project in the energy sector is likely to be completed until these goods arrive.
The cost of production has increased as the projects in the final stage of construction have been pushed to one and a half years. Some projects have not been able to bear the increased cost during this period. The return period of the project has been extended. This has lowered the morale of the manufacturing company.
The government had set a target of providing electricity to 100 percent of the population within two years. Without Covid, this goal would have been achieved. Now we will have to wait another year and a half to achieve this goal.
The construction of substations and transmission lines has also been greatly affected. The construction of substations targeting industrial areas has also been affected.
Due to untimely construction of substation, the industry has not been able to supply enough electricity. It seems that the situation is getting worse as more and more electricity is being generated and wasted.
Rabindra Dhungel
Covid, like many other economic and social sectors, adversely affected the chain of energy consumption. The 'futures' price of petroleum in the world market turned negative. This upset the international exchange system.
The impact of the epidemic has also increased in Nepal, especially in hydropower. Due to the Lockdown, the generated electricity could not be consumed. There was a big problem in electricity consumption when all businesses in the service sector such as industry, schools and hotels were close.
On the other hand, the work of the power project under construction has also been affected. Due to the impact of Covid all over the world, the necessary materials for the project could not come even after the end of the Lockdown. This has delayed the construction of hydropower projects, transmission lines and substations. Thus the epidemic has brought problems in both production and consumption.
The demand for electricity, which is increasing at an average of 15 percent per annum, could not increase after Covid. On the contrary, even normal consumption has been declining and becoming negative. The cycle of electricity demand stopped. Nepal may need to intervene in the energy sector to fill this gap.
As soon as the demand decreased, electricity was wasted. During the night, electricity was wasted every day. Even in the afternoon, the production was more than the demand.
On the one hand, the electricity produced was wasted and on the other hand, various discounts had to be given to the consumers affected by Covid. The failure to collect the electricity tariff on time due to Covid has weakened the NEA financially.
Covid has had a huge impact not only within the country but also in the international electricity trade. Under normal circumstances, Nepal could export a lot of electricity to India at night. Due to the closure of Covid, even in India, industries could not run there and a large part of the electricity that can be exported from Nepal at night is being wasted.
Dozens of projects under construction have been pushed back. Without Covid, dozens of private sector projects, including Upper Tamakoshi, would have been completed. However, it is seen that these projects will take a long time to complete due to the closure of the company producing the equipment required for the project due to the epidemic.
Most of the equipment used in power projects in Nepal has to be imported from China. Work on hydropower, transmission lines, substations and solar projects, which were nearing completion, was delayed due to untimely initiatives to reopen Chinese ports or lack of significance.
Thousands of trucks are still stranded at Chinese ports. No project in the energy sector is likely to be completed until these goods arrive.
The cost of production has increased as the projects in the final stage of construction have been pushed to one and a half years. Some projects have not been able to bear the increased cost during this period. The return period of the project has been extended. This has lowered the morale of the manufacturing company.
The government had set a target of providing electricity to 100 percent of the population within two years. Without Covid, this goal would have been achieved. Now we will have to wait another year and a half to achieve this goal.
The construction of substations and transmission lines has also been greatly affected. The construction of substations targeting industrial areas has also been affected.
Due to untimely construction of substation, the industry has not been able to supply enough electricity. It seems that the situation is getting worse as more and more electricity is being generated and wasted.
