The Nepal Electricity Authority’s (NEA) extended deadline for industries to settle long-pending dues related to dedicated feeders and trunk lines expires this Sunday, yet not a single defaulter has stepped forward to clear their payments.
Last month, the state-owned power utility issued a 21-day public notice, setting October 19 as the final deadline for concerned industries to pay their outstanding amounts. According to NEA spokesperson Rajan Dhakal, the NEA board has decided to initiate full recovery of dues owed under the dedicated feeder and trunk line categories.
“None of the defaulters have appeared to pay their dues so far. The electricity lines will be disconnected if they fail to do so,” said Dhakal.
The enforcement drive follows directives from Energy Minister Kulman Ghising, who instructed the NEA to recover all pending amounts without exception. Newly appointed NEA Executive Director Manoj Silwal has also pledged swift implementation of this decision.
Earlier, the NEA had introduced an installment payment scheme, allowing industries to clear their dues in up to 28 installments. Among defaulters, Samrat Cement and Rolpa Cement have reportedly expressed interest in making partial payments under this arrangement.
NEA records show that approximately Rs 8 billion remains unpaid by 49 industries using dedicated feeders and trunk lines. The authority has been attempting to recover these dues for over a decade—since 2015.
In August 2015, the NEA introduced a premium tariff system for high-energy-consuming factories using dedicated feeders and trunk lines, citing frequent power outages at the time. Under this system, such industries were required to pay additional fees for preferential electricity supply.
Some industrialists challenged the decision in court, but their petitions were dismissed. The court directed them instead to seek administrative review, which required industries to deposit 25 percent of the billed amount within 35 days of receiving the notice before filing a review application.
Subsequently, the NEA’s previous leadership eased the process by reducing the deposit requirement from 25 percent to 5 percent. Following this relaxation, 46 industries applied for administrative review. However, the process has since stalled, leaving the recovery effort unresolved.
As the October 19 deadline approaches, NEA has reiterated that defaulting industries face immediate disconnection if payments are not made, signaling a tougher stance on long-overdue power dues.
