Nepal’s flood disaster puts its hydropower-first strategy, exports to the test

KATHMANDU — Nepal’s established policy of relying on hydroelectricity to fuel economic growth is facing unprecedented obstacles following a series of catastrophic floods originating from the Nepal-China border. These floods, which struck on August 26th, have severely impacted the nation's energy infrastructure, potentially altering its long-standing strategy and prompting a reevaluation of its clean energy targets.

The disaster has crippled a combined installed generation capacity of 281 megawatts, including a solar power plant, and caused damage to four additional under-construction projects totaling 700 megawatts. One of the oldest hydroelectric plants, the 14.1-MW Devighat Hydroelectric Plant, which began operation 42 years ago, was completely obliterated.

Further downstream, a 25-MW solar power plant suffered significant damage, as did a transmission line hub on the Trishuli River, which resulted in a loss of 150 megawatts of power from various sources.

Officials are still grappling with the extent of the damage, with preliminary estimates suggesting losses amounting to hundreds of billions of Nepali rupees. The timeline for the affected projects to resume operation remains uncertain, as rescue efforts continue, with around 983 engineers and workers feared trapped inside tunnels or powerhouses. As the situation unfolds, Nepal may find itself reconsidering its reliance on hydropower and potentially shifting towards more solar power to mitigate future risks.