3 hours ago Kelly Ng and Navin Singh Khadka, Environment correspondent, BBC World Service Didier Marti
Until eight years ago, Nepal struggled with lengthy power cuts. Almost 100% of Nepal's electricity comes from hydropower, generating nearly $200m (£147m) annually through exports to India and Bangladesh. However, the glaciers and mountains that provide this advantage are succumbing to global warming. Last Wednesday’s deadly floods exposed the risks to Nepal’s hydropower ambitions, killing over 1,300 people and damaging 12 hydropower plants in the Trishuli River basin, reducing Nepal’s power generation capacity by over 10%. Operators are unsure if any of these plants can be restored.
The Nepal Electricity Authority, which owns six of the damaged plants, assures households that supply remains adequate. However, spokesman Rajan Dhakal acknowledges that climate-related disasters necessitate a rethink of Nepal’s hydropower policy. Only two-thirds of Nepal had electricity access in 2010, with power cuts lasting up to 16 hours daily. By 2018, hydropower expansion and energy imports from India had improved access to 24-hour power. Nepal now has 225 hydropower plants with over 3,900MW capacity, enough to power three million households. More projects are under construction, often built in high-altitude regions requiring minimal storage.
The floods destroyed entire villages near the Nepal-Tibet border, severely damaging infrastructure. Preliminary investigations suggest a collapsed glacier and bedrock caused the flash flood. Experts warn that Nepal’s reliance on hydropower is unsustainable, given the Himalayas warming 50% faster than the global average. Nepal’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority reported that over 90% of disasters between 2018 and 2024 were climate-related.
Former Energy Minister Kulman Ghising called the flood a "once-in-a-century" event, urging better plant design and early-warning systems. Some argue Nepal should diversify energy sources, including solar and wind, citing their technical potential. However, experts like Puspa Sharma note that hydropower remains Nepal’s competitive advantage. The Upper Trishuli-1 project, funded by the Asian Development Bank and China’s Export-Import Bank, was among the most affected, valued at $647m. Critics like Himanshu Thakkar from the South Asia Network on Dams argue international lenders ignored disaster risks, exposing workers and infrastructure to harm.
The floods have also impacted private operators, with insurers paying $40m for flood-related damages over the past three years. Manjeet Dhakal, a member of Nepal’s climate delegation, emphasizes that climate risks are international and require global cooperation. Nepal’s hydropower industry, despite its emissions benefits, cannot address these risks alone.
Source: bbc.com
