World Potential (NEPAL)

Small Hydro in Nepal
The national demand for electricity in 2001 was estimated at approximately 400 MW. In addition to development of large and medium hydropower projects, such as the 300 MW Upper Karnali hydropower project and the Kulekhani III hydropower project, Nepal has emphasised the need for construction of small and micro hydro projects to meet demands of hilly and remote Himalayan regions where the national grid system has not been extended.

Most of these small and micro plants are located far from serviceable roads and long distances from the NEA's national grid. These remote locations often result in high construction costs and limit the size and capacity of the plants due to limitations on the transport capacity of helicopters that must carry the generating units to the site.

To assist in this issue, the Small Hydropower Master Plan Project (SHMP) was initiated in 1990 in cooperation between the government of Nepal and the Federal Republic of Germany. The NEA and the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) jointly execute the SHMP. The aim of the SHMP is a systematic identification of optimum small hydropower potentials in the range of 100 kW and 5000 kW to match the electricity demand of rural areas in the hills and mountains of Nepal. The project was realised in two phases, the first of which focused on the Eastern Development Region in 1990-91. The second phase (1991-1993) worked to refine the conclusions of Phase I and extend the studies to the other four development regions across the country.

Country Brief
Water Resources
Energy Sector
Hydropower Development & Micro Hydro in Nepal
Small Hydro in Nepal
Conclusions