Kathmandu, September 4 : Independent Power Producers’ Association, Nepal (IPPAN) has launched its second-stage protest against the government by forwarding 12-point charter of demands.
The umbrella organization of the private sector power producers launched their first-stage agitation in mid-August for fulfilling the same.
Immediately reimbursing the subsidy announced for hydropower projects which have already started commercial production (as announced in the budget speech for Fiscal Year 2014/15), lowering the bank lending rates for hydropower projects to single-digit and 5% for mini hydropower projects which are in operation, and providing posted rate (Rs 4.8 per unit in wet season and Rs 8.4 per unit in dry season) even for small hydropower projects having capacity below 25 MW are some of its demands.
The IPPAN is also asking for increment in compensation resulting from outage losses due to fault of transmission lines of the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA).
According to, it would hand over the keys of all “ailing” hydropower projects to the government if their concerns continue to go unheeded this time too.
Some 25 hydropower projects developed by independent power producers are deemed ‘sick’ as they have either failed to service their debts or been hit by financial crisis.
As part of the protest programs, the IPPAN will be submitting memorandum to the government agencies, NEA, Nepal Rastra Bank and Prime Minister and hold sit-in in front of the NEA, Electricity Regulation Commission and other agencies.
