Introduction

It’s agreed that hydropower is backbone of our energy infrastructures. Generating electricity from hydropower schemes is still the cheapest option for Nepal. Therefore, hydropower development from micro scale to large scale has been always on the priority of Government of Nepal. Alternative Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC) has been promoting micro hydro projects up to 100kW since its establishment. In Nepal micro hydro entrepreneurs are quite established. These entrepreneurs have shown their efficiency in survey and design, civil works and manufacturing of electrical & mechanical equipments and parts of micro hydro up to 100kW. There are more than 2,500 successful installations of micro hydro projects in Nepal. These projects are benefiting above 300 thousand households in rural areas.

Capacity developed for micro hydro should be upgraded to carryout mini hydro power projects. However there are only few successful minihydro schemes running in country, therefore, time has come that we need to analyse the issues and challenges in the development of minihydro schemes in the larger numbers. Latest Subsidy Policy for Renewable Energy 2069 BS has a provision to provide subsidy to community/ cooperative owned mini hydro off-grid projects from 100kW to 1MW and mini hydro projects connected to grid. Moreover, there are few entrepreneurs who have already developed or on process of development of mini hydro projects. AEPC jointly with ADB is organizing one day seminar on “Mini Hydro Development in Nepal: Status, Challenges and Prospects” on July 3rd, 2013, in Hotel Everest, Kathmandu.

Objective

To analyse the opportunities and challenges in development of mini-hydro projects and to pave future pathway for its successful development in Nepal

Participants

DOED, NEA, MOE, MOFALD, MOSTE, NHA, IPPs, IPPAN, SHDAN, NMHDA, WECAN, Commercial and Development Banks, hydro companies, Project developers, Investors, policy maker, experts, journalist etc.