The government has set an ambitious goal of reaching 28,500 megawatts of electricity capacity in 10 years. There is no doubt that there will be economic, infrastructure, social and political changes in the country if the goal is achieved. The roadmap could become a milestone when the overall economy is in decline due to lack of sufficient energy.

There are opportunities and challenges for the government (Ministry of Energy) to achieve the target. If a simple action plan is made with a strategic direction, the objective of the roadmap is possible.

It is necessary to maximize the internal sources of energy production that can contribute significantly to the national economy, to increase the internal electricity consumption of the state, to get the potential returns of international electricity trade and to develop the energy sector in a planned manner.

To implement the goals taken by the government, there is an obligation to remove legal obstacles and facilitate them. By revising the existing procedures and guidelines, the road map and action plan should be included to make the private sector energy promoters more enthusiastic. Current procedures are control-oriented rather than service-oriented.

The goal of the roadmap can only be achieved if the practice of using tools such as round table, one desk solution help desk to review, monitor and discuss the decisions made in the past.

For projects ranging from 100 to 1000 megawatts, based on the assurance of financial resources, it seems that the investment of the private sector can increase even more if the first applicant, first service "first come, first serve" license can be granted. 

In the year 2067/068, when Gokarna Bista was the Minister of Water Resources, private sector hydropower promoters were subjected to injustice. Because the licenses identified by the private sector were canceled on the pretext of keeping the river in the bag. It was decided to compete the projects falling in the government reserve (basket). Investments in those projects have sunk.

Those projects are still stalled because the government is unable to compete. Without reviewing it, the government is on the verge of competition. Hydropower has been designated as a national priority sector because it can be managed by the private sector. It seems that the government machinery is reluctant to become enthusiastic to achieve these objectives. 

Out of the 'Super Six' projects studied by the Electricity Development Department of the Government of Nepal, only 4 have come into operation after decades. Two projects are yet to come up. It is a bitter experience that promoters have to study all those projects again after increasing their capacity.

Similarly, the 22 MW Budhiganga hydropower project, which will be built with Kubeti subsidy, has been stuck for decades without completing the tender process. There can be many such examples. In terms of the action plan of the energy development road map announced by the government in 2080, producing 28,500 megawatts will be a milestone, if not, it will be limited to ambition.

A high-level champion task force 'Champion Task Force' should be formed jointly with the private sector. A work schedule can be prepared in the form of a 'work schedule' by giving high priority to the task force's activities such as identification and identification of financial resources, management of concessional loans, technical consultation and market building.

For this, legal procedures can be brought in such a way that delays in forest and environmental approvals, land adjudication and local problems do not occur. The jurisprudence of the concerned inter-ministry and department has also slowed down the work. The private sector is getting into trouble when the decision of one government agency is overturned by another. It has to be addressed by action. 

Now, billions are stuck in the capital market due to the fact that the Securities Board has not opened the share issuance permission of private sector hydropower companies. When the capital market was active, common people had the opportunity to invest in hydropower. Do not delay opening it. On the other hand, the IPO share rating of completed hydropower projects should be made commercial. The procedure should be amended so that no additional approval is required for forest, felling, land tenure.

In hydropower projects and transmission lines, most of the projects are not able to obtain survey permission without the Ministry of Forest and Environment giving study consent and the application is canceled. Most of the power generation areas are within the national parks.

Due to the decision of the Supreme Court, the hydropower plants inside the park have been affected. Due to the Park incident, the activity of various non-entities has increased to obstruct the hydropower infrastructure. Now Nepal has to take development and environment together. 

For energy security and sustainable solution to increasing energy demand, the time has come to expand renewable energy solar including Required Commercial Operation Date (RCOD), run-of-river, semi-reservoir, reservoir, seasonal reservoir, multi-purpose reservoir, pumped storage. Instead of encouraging direct foreign investment, the government should take necessary steps to get concessional loans to the private sector. 

For the private sector who wants to invest in solar, a single pocket area should be identified so that a dedicated transmission line and substation are constructed. Where arable land, forest areas and non-irrigated dry areas can be encouraged. For example, areas like Kavre, Ramechhap, Manthali, Khandadevi, Khurkot, Sindhuli, Sindhupalchok etc. can be declared as pocket areas. There is a potential of solar farm up to 15-20 thousand megawatts.

It is very important to adopt the concept of integrated transmission line as much as possible in agreement and cooperation with the private sector for the construction of high voltage and low voltage transmission lines. Based on a river basin, various promoters are trying to develop hydroelectric projects.

The transmission line and hydropower projects within the corridor can be developed through a merger with them or as much as possible with a single competent investor. If any promoters want to develop hydropower within the master plan that has been occupied since decades ago, it should be opened now. 

Recently, in the report of the high-level economic reform suggestion commission proposed by the government, it seems necessary to make hydroelectric energy more comprehensive and flexible. The PPA rate of hydropower has not been increased for almost 2 decades. The price increase rate given annually in PPA should be revised from 3 percent to 5 percent for the entire period (PPA). The contribution of electric energy to the gross domestic product (GDP) contribution of the economy as a whole and the assessment of the contribution of the share rate of return is not found in energy. 

A fixed interest rate limit has not been fixed on loans taken for hydropower. Considering the proportion and contribution of foreign exchange coming from remittances, investment in hydropower shares can be encouraged to all those who are employed.

Similarly, additional procedures should be made to provide 25 percent subsidy to private sector projects with reservoirs that want to develop hydroelectricity within Karnali province and not require IE/EIA approval for land acquisition and usufruct. For Sudurpaschim Province and Karnali Province, tax exemption for hydropower development can be encouraged by setting 20 years. Private sector investment in energy should be encouraged by investing extensively in high voltage transmission lines and quality road network infrastructure in Karnali province. 

In terms of international electricity trade, the dialogue with India should be increased by fixing long-term electricity rates. With more emphasis on green energy technology, it is necessary to increase the readiness of the private sectors of the two countries to come to the discussion of the carbon trade that Nepal will receive.