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Amid the dry season, electricity demand in Nepal has reached a high point. According to details made public by the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) on Monday, the country’s total peak demand has reached 2,380 megawatts, while the national peak demand stands at 2,170 megawatts.

According to the Authority, the total energy demand on Monday reached 52,351 megawatt-hours (MWh). This refers to the total electricity consumed throughout the entire day. Of this, 46,034 MWh was demand within the national system.

Independent power producers (IPPs) have accounted for the largest share of electricity supply. Data shows that 27,999 MWh of electricity was supplied by the private sector. The private sector’s contribution to Nepal’s total electricity supply has reached around 58 percent.

From the Nepal Electricity Authority’s own projects, 8,758 MWh of electricity was supplied to the system, while 11,427 MWh was injected from its subsidiary companies.

Due to the dry season, water flow in rivers has decreased, putting pressure on domestic generation. However, Nepal has been maintaining system balance through electricity trade with India. On Monday alone, 4,101 MWh of electricity was imported, while 6,317 MWh was exported, according to the report.

As private sector investment in the energy sector has increased in recent years, its role in Nepal’s electricity system has become decisive. Data shows that a large share of total supply is now being met by private hydropower projects.

With rising temperatures, increased use of household appliances, growing industrial demand, and the charging of electric vehicles, electricity consumption continues to rise steadily, according to NEA sources. The system faces higher pressure particularly during evening hours.

However, no load-shedding has been observed so far. The Authority stated that electricity supply is being maintained continuously through domestic generation, import-export management, and balancing of the transmission system.

Jalasarokar