Nepal breaks ground on 25-MWp solar project

Construction has been initiated on a 25-MWp solar power project in Nepal, said to be the largest one the country.

An official groundbreaking ceremony was held on Friday at the project site at the Devighat hydropower plant (HPP) in Nuwakot district. The plant, slated to become the largest photovoltaic (PV) park at a single location in the country, is planned to be switched on within a year.

Implementation of the project, estimated at NPR 4 billion (USD 37.4m/EUR 31m), will be financed by the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) and the World Bank. Once up and running it will be linked to the national power grid and will help stabilise power distribution during peak hours, NEA said, as cited by The Kathmandu Post.

China’s Risen Energy Co Ltd (SHE:300118) will be responsible of building the photovoltaic (PV) farm.

Back in 2015, the World Bank announced it will extend a 38-year loan of USD 130 million (EUR ) to finance the 25-MWp solar project and grid upgrades aimed at reducing electricity distribution losses in Nepal. The PV scheme, though, was delayed due to issues related to the selection of an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor.

(NPR 100 = USD 0.934/EUR 0.776)

(USD 1.0 = EUR 0.831)

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