Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Kul Man Ghising has emphasized the need to prioritize solar energy in Nepal’s future energy mix. Speaking at the 25th annual general meeting of the Solar Electric Manufacturers Association Nepal, he said solar power use is steadily increasing and is already being integrated into the national grid. He noted that expanding solar production could help reduce electricity imports. Minister Ghising also shared that studies are underway to generate solar energy using irrigation canals across the country. Referring to India’s solar capacity of over 100,000 megawatts, he said Nepal could boost solar output by utilizing hilly and mountainous terrain. He further informed that transmission line construction is progressing to enable the export of 15,000 megawatts of electricity to India. National Planning Commission Vice-Chairperson Dr Prakash Kumar Shrestha pointed out that climate change has affected hydropower generation due to drying water sources, while Energy Ministry Secretary Chiranjivi Chataut said the government aims to fully electrify the country within two years.
