The Laxmi Puja day on Sunday, November 13 again highlighted Nepal’s growing self-reliance on electricity with the whole country lit up on domestically-generated power and even more so, the import of 516 mW during the peak hours. On this momentous day, not only the country was illuminated, but also glowed Nepal’s tremendous confidence resulting from achievements in electricity generation and independence. Let’s find out how the electricity-hungry day fared this Tihar 2080 and what it reflected for Nepal’s electricity consumption.
On Laxmi Puja day this year (2080), Nepal not only saw a new record on peak demand for power, but it also was able to import electricity. As per the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), 1,438 MW was the recorded peak demand on the Laxmi Puja day (the third day of the Tihar festival). It was an increase of 133 MW from the previous year’s same-day statistic. Last year on Kartik 07, the peak demand for Laxmi Puja was recorded at 13.5 mw.
Overall, the whole day’s power demand reached 1955 mw as per the NEA record compared to last year’s 1711 mw.
The day has been seen with the highest attention to study and reflect on Nepal’s progress and achievement in electricity generation and self-reliance. This year, NEA projected a peak demand of 1357 MW and was strategically prepared accordingly.
Check out in detail here:
- Peak demand on Laxmi Puja soars past 1.3 thousand megawatts | 2022
- Peak Electricity Demand on Laxmi Puja Reached 1270 MW | Exported 48 MW | 2021
517 mw imported in India on Laxmi Puja day
On the same day, 517 MW of surplus electricity was imported to India which marked an increase of 111 MW. Last year, 406 MW of power was sold to India.
Kathmandu alone attracted a total electricity demand of 366 MW an increase of 24 MW from last year’s 342 MW.
Kulekhani first, second, and third contributed 16 MW of power during the peak hours. Other NEA-operated hydroelectric projects generated 420 MW of power. Likewise, Upper Tamakoshi, Chilime, and others generated 522 MW. The privately owned hydropower project delivered 997 MW of power.
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A true leap in electricity generation and self-reliance
Kulman Ghising who has played a frontline role in reversing the electricity fate says that being self-sustainable on electricity even on such a demand-heavy day is a leap. 7 years ago, Nepal was buying power to fulfill its demands for the most illuminating day in the country.
Ghising along with deputy executive directors visited the was deployed to the control room of the load dispatch center (LDC) at Syuchatar on Sunday to get information about the electricity demand and supply management on the day of Lakshmi Puja.
A campaign to make Nepal Loadshedding-free from the Laxmi Puja day in 2073. Fast forward to 2080, and not only Nepal has pulled through those dark hours but also imported a huge amount of electricity to India.