Recently, Gandaki province is becoming a hydropower hub. Even if the statistics are to be turned over, this province is number two in making the country bright. 996 MW of electricity generated from Gandaki province alone is connected to the national transmission line, which is the most after Bagmati.

According to Nepal Electricity Authority data, although Gandaki is ahead in electricity production, it is far behind in consumption. According to the authority, Gandaki province is consuming only 120 megawatts of electricity. The contribution of Gandaki province to the national transmission line is 29.32 percent.

Only 99.40 percent electrification has been done in Gandaki province. Within the Gandaki province, only Parvat, Syangja, Kaski, Tanahun have got 100 percent electrification. Electrification data prepared after a detailed study of 753 local level wards of the country, according to 2081, 99.36 percent in Nawalpur, 99.96 percent in Baglung, 99.70 percent in Myagdi, 99.98 percent in Mustang, 99.99 percent in Lamjung, 95 percent in Gorkha. 64 percent has been electrified. In Gandaki province, Manang has the lowest electrification data of only 87.81 percent. 

In Chumanuvri Rural Municipality and Narphu Rural Municipality of Gandaki Province, the electricity of the national transmission line has not reached. They are consuming electricity from small hydropower, solar energy etc. which are outside the national transmission line.

Dozens of hydropower projects have been commissioned in Kaligandaki, Budhigandaki, Marsyangdi, Madi, Seti, Daraundi, Trishuli and Modi rivers of Gandaki province, while dozens are under construction. Energy promoters say that the construction process has also increased with the possibility of hydropower projects in Gandaki when road infrastructure and transmission lines are easy. 

Many hydropower projects in Lamjung, Myagdi, Manang and Gorkha under Gandaki province are under construction and under study, said Suman Joshi, executive director of White Lotus Power Company. "Compared to other provinces, it is easy to work in Gandaki province, because there are more literate manpower, there are not many problems in Gandaki province," she said.

Company promoted 6.82 MW Hidi Khola Hydropower is under construction at Lamjung. She also told that there is a high potential of hydropower in Gandaki province today. "According to Nadinala, there is more potential in Karnali province, but due to the lack of development of infrastructure including roads and transmission, Karnali's hydropower potential is limited on paper," she said. She told that 20 percent of the country's total hydropower production capacity is in Gandaki alone. 

The 25 MW Seti River, promoted by Vision Lumbini, has become operational in Gandaki province. Similarly, the 86 MW Landruk Modi and 24 MW Bajr Madi hydropower projects are under construction, said Jagat Pokharel, the executive chairman of the company.

'Gandaki province will gradually become a hydropower hub,' he said, 'There are many hydropower projects in Kaligandaki, Lamjung, Kaski, Myagdi and Parbat districts of Gandaki.' "The hydrology is very good, the transmission lines are easy to transmit electricity after production," said Pokharel, "locals there are also eager to invest." He said that there will be fewer problems during the construction of the project and the project will be completed on time.

The 135 MW Manang Marsyangdi, promoted by Butwal Power Company, is under construction. 139.2 MW Lower Manang Marsyangdi, 327 MW Upper Marsyangdi, 7.9 MW Chino Khola Hydropower Project also got Butwal company. 54 MW Super Dordi received by People's Hydropower Company has been commissioned and 57 MW Himchuli Dordi hydropower project is under construction.

The government has said that the 1200 megawatt Budhigandaki hydropower project in Gandaki and Bagmati provinces will be built with domestic investment. The government has already spent about 43 billion for land acquisition and compensation for the Budhigandaki hydropower project. When Budhigandaki Jalvidyut Company Limited provides low feasibility fund (Viability Gap Funding-VGF), the cost of the project is 3 trillion 10 billion 47 crores and without VGF, the total construction cost of the project is estimated at 3 trillion 98 billion 2 crore rupees. 

In the 23 years since the Kaligandaki 'A' semi-reservoir hydropower project of 144 MW has been in operation, 996 MW of electricity has been connected to the national transmission line from Gandaki province alone. A 140 MW reservoir hydropower project, which was acquired by Tanahun Hydropower Limited, a subsidiary of Nepal Electricity Authority, is under construction.

The company said that there is 65 percent physical progress in the hydropower project in three packages. Tanahun Hydropower Limited has announced that the detailed project report (DPR) of the 126 MW semi-reservoir Lower Seti (Tanahun) hydropower project has been prepared. The company said that the power sale agreement (PPA) and environmental impact assessment report are in the process of approval. It is said that discussions with international bodies are also ongoing to raise investment in Lower Seti of 126 MW. 

Independent Energy Producers Association (IPPAN) has said that there is a potential of 14,981 megawatts based on river flow in Gandaki province alone. Ippan claims that there is a potential of 15,911 megawatt reservoir hydropower projects in the Gandaki basin alone.

A study conducted by the Secretariat of the Water and Energy Commission in 2019 stated that Nepal's hydropower capacity based on the Karnali, Kosi and Gandaki basins is 72,544 megawatts, and only 21 percent of the country's potential is in the Gandaki province. The hydropower capacity of Gandaki province is 15,000 MW.

According to the Electricity Development Department, only 14 projects of 898.913 megawatts have taken survey license in Gandaki province. 22 projects of 1623.87 MW have applied for survey license. 85 projects of 3174 MW have received construction permission while 22 projects of 1646.94 MW have applied for construction permission. 10 hydropower projects of 1688.48 MW are under study. 4 projects of 1266.18 MW have been studied in Gandaki province. 

Krishna Acharya, former president of IPPAN, said that big projects are being built in rivers like Budhigandaki and Kaligandaki. He said that the government has set a target of producing 28,500 megawatts of electricity by the year 2035 and the contribution of Gandaki province will be high. "Even the private sector can build projects of up to 500 megawatts. Now, after the project is completed, electricity transmission, distribution and construction of substations should also be done on time, otherwise it will not be possible," he said.

Nepal is currently selling 941 MW of electricity to India and 40 MW to Bangladesh during the rainy season. According to the agreement, 10 percent more electricity can be exported, according to the authority. By 2035, the government has set a target of exporting 10,000 MW of electricity to India and 5,000 MW to Bangladesh. There is no doubt that the contribution of Gandaki province will be significant.