Kathmandu: Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Pampha Bhusal has said that power purchase agreements (PPAs) will be signed on the basis of market certainty from now onward. Talking to a delegation of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), she said that the new PPAs would be taken forward only after studying the balance of supply and demand.

The FNCCI delegation had reached the ministry with the demand that the proposal to increase the demand fee be put on a halt and the PPAs that have seen no progress be taken forward.

Minister Bhusal said, "PPAs cannot be signed without preparing the objective basis." Stating that the domestic investment in hydropower generation is positive, she said, we are positive about the construction of the project by the FNCCI. Minister Bhusal stressed the need for the federation to take initiatives to set up industries that consume more electricity and bring in such industries.

Assuring the industrialists and businessmen that electricity will be provided to the requested places, Minister Bhusal said, "We will supply electricity to the requested places by completing the infrastructure as soon as possible." Stating that it is time to think objectively about electricity consumption, Minister Bhusal said that special attention would be paid to the issue of how electricity can be consumed in agriculture, irrigation and other sectors.