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Workshop
Cryosphere Initiative & River Basins and Cryosphere
Kailash Hall, ICIMOD
27 May 2022
We are organizing an in-person consultative workshop on sustainable hydropower development in Nepal. The workshop will discuss and assess policy and institutional gaps related to environmentally sustainable hydropower development, formulate recommendations for policy and institutional reform, and identify capacity building needs.
The outcomes of the workshop will contribute to the development of an environmentally sustainable hydropower framework for Nepal, which will be conceptualised by ICIMOD. As a part of the framework, we aim to develop criteria for environmentally sustainable hydropower development, and the institutional arrangements for implementation.
The workshop will bring together stakeholders – government agencies, private developers, researchers, and international agencies – working in the hydropower sector in Nepal.
The hydropower sector in Nepal is facing several challenges – both in terms its impact on the environment, and the impact of environmental changes on hydropower projects. The environmental sustainability of hydropower projects and improving environmental quality are determined by how well risk mitigation measures are planned for and implemented. However, in developing countries, risk mitigation measures are not properly implemented. This is true in Nepal’s context where hydropower projects do not meet compliance requirements, and most hydropower projects follow different risk mitigation approaches. Sustainable hydropower, which is comparatively clean and green, is both acceptable and affordable to adapt to changing climatic conditions.
Furthermore, gaps in policy implementation and existing institutional arrangements related to the hydropower sector in Nepal hinder the shift towards sustainability. Hence, there is a need to design criteria for environmentally sustainable hydropower development and craft institutional arrangements for implementation. This will help and promote environmentally sustainable hydropower development in Nepal and eventually help projects qualify for low-cost funds such as green bonds. For this, regulatory bodies need to take immediate action to improve the environmental compliance of hydropower projects. Impact and risk assessments and recommendations for risk mitigation measures need be complemented by policies, plans, institutional arrangements, and budgetary allocation.
Facilitator: Ashmita Shakya, ICIMOD
Dinesh Kumar Ghimire, Secretary, Water and Energy Commission Secretariat (WECS)
Overview of the Cryosphere Initiative
Objectives of the workshop
Miriam Jackson, Programme Coordinator – Cryosphere, ICIMOD
Panelists: Madhu Prasad Bhetuwal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation
Kul Man Ghising, Managing Director – Nepal Electricity Authority
Jeebachh Mandal, Joint Secretary – Water and Energy Commission Secretariate (WECS)
Arjun Kumar Gautam, Chief Executive Officer, Hydroelectricity Investment and Development Company Ltd (HIDCL)
Moderator: Arun Shrestha, ICIMOD
Group discussions on different topics concerning challenges and opportunities in environmentally sustainable HP development
Chief Executive Officer, Hydroelectricity Investment and Development Company Limited
Arjun Kumar Gautam has more than 31 years of experience in the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) and has served as member of the Board of Directors of Nepal SBI Bank Ltd. Gautam has a master’s in business administration and a master’s in public administration from Tribhuvan University, Nepal, and a diploma in International Financial Reporting Standards (Dip. IFRS), from ACCA, UK. He is also familiar with banking governance and risk management.
Joint Secretary, Ministry of Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation
Madhu Prasad Bhetuwal has over 25 years of experience in the water resource and energy sector of Nepal, having worked in various capacities in policy making and implementation. Prior to his current position, Bhetuwal served as the Director General of the Department of Electricity Development, where he contributed towards making the licensing of hydroelectricity projects more transparent and competitive. Bhetuwal is an engineering professional skilled in AutoCAD, hydrology, highways, engineering, and environmental awareness.
Joint Secretary, Water and Energy Commission Secretariat, Government of Nepal
Jeebachh Mandal has over 27 years of experience in managing, policy making, planning, designing, reviewing, and updating hydro and solar electricity generation, transmission, and distribution projects as well as physical infrastructure development projects. Mandal also has teaching and research experience in Power System Planning and Reliability Engineering. Prior to his current position, Mandal served as the Program Leader (Energy Trade) for the SAARC Energy Center in Islamabad; Senior Divisional Engineer in the Ministry of Energy and Department of Electricity Development; Assistant Professor in the Institute of Engineering, WRC Pokhara; and Deputy Manager in Janakpur Cigarette Factory Ltd. He has participated and represented Nepal in several international workshops, conferences, seminars and trainings.
Managing Director, Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA)
Ghising has more than 26 years of professional experience in power generation, transmission, distribution, and trading business including contract management, dispute settlement, and financing in hydropower projects. In the past, he has served as the Managing Director for NEA and Chair of the Chilime Hydropower Company. From 2008-2012, Ghising served as an energy advisor to the Natural Resource–Energy sub-committee of the Constitution Assembly. He has an Executive MBA degree from ACE Institute of Management in 2011. He has a master’s degree in Power System Engineering and BSc in electrical engineering.
Secretary, Water and Energy Commission
Dinesh Kumar Ghimire has more than 27 years of experience in formulation of policy, laws, plans, strategies, and directives for water resources and energy sector in Nepal.
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