Birgunj, Dec 22: Industries in the Birgunj-Pathlaiya industrial corridor have started facing significant challenges due to daily four-hour power outages during evening hours. The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has implemented load-shedding in the industrial corridor as it is unable to supply electricity as per demand. Currently, power outages are scheduled from 5 PM to 9 PM during peak hours.
Anil Kumar Agrawal, President of the Birgunj Chamber of Commerce and Industry, expressed concerns over the NEA’s load-shedding, which has disrupted industries’ ability to operate at full capacity. “For the past month, the NEA has been conducting unannounced power cuts in the Birgunj-Pathlaiya industrial corridor, causing major challenges for industries in the Bara-Parsa corridor,” Agrawal said. The Chamber issued a press release on Sunday highlighting the difficulties caused by these outages.
The press release stated, “Operating industries using diesel generators during power cuts has increased production costs, reducing their competitiveness. Small industries, unable to afford diesel generators, are forced to shut down temporarily.” Additionally, frequent power trips—up to 14 or 15 times in 24 hours—have damaged industrial equipment and raw materials.
Agrawal has urged the NEA to address the issue immediately. “Recurring power supply issues during the winter season require a long-term solution, and we call on the concerned authorities to address this problem urgently,” he added, emphasizing the need for alternative arrangements to resolve the ongoing power crisis in the industrial corridor.
Awadhesh Kumar Dubey, head of the NEA Birgunj Distribution Center, confirmed the power cuts during peak evening hours. “We have been conducting two to four hours of power cuts during peak hours,” he said, adding that efforts are underway to mitigate the problem as much as possible.
During the summer, the Birgunj-Pathlaiya industrial corridor requires around 300 MW of electricity daily. Although household electricity demand has decreased in the winter, industrial demand remains around 200 MW daily, necessitating temporary power cuts in the corridor. #electricity #nepal #crisis
