MESSAGE FROM CHAIRPERSON

Nepal’s vast hydropower resources, if utilized judiciously and at a fast pace can bring in prosperity to the country and its citizens.  However, the current reality is that only 40% of the country’s population has access to electricity, and even such access is curtailed by severe load shedding.  On the other hand, 60% of the population is in “permanent load shedding”.  Thus, the irony is that though our hydropower potential by far outweighs our present domestic demand for it, Nepal is currently negotiating power import from its southern neighbor, that too within almost one year of the government’s vision of“10,000 MW of Hydropower in 10 years”.

The universal rule of investment, especially in long term infrastructure projects such as hydropower is very clear; investments do not occur in countries where political stability is at best fragile.  Thus, our politicians and leaders who have time and again promised to strive for a better quality of life for our citizens must make political stability their priority.  Though we generally have investment friendly policies, when it comes to implementing them, there are unnecessary delays and bottlenecks.  A level playing field with clear set of rules and procedures for investment will go a long way in accelerating the hydropower sector of the country. 

 Sanima Hydropower (P.) Ltd. was established by a group of Non-Resident Nepalese (NRNs) with a vision to promote hydropower generation in Nepal through private sector investment. The company first successfully commissioned the 2.5 MW Sunkoshi hydropower plant in 2005 which currently supplies electricity to the national grid under a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA).  The detailed engineering design and construction supervision for this power plant was done by our in-house experts.  The Sunkoshi experience paved way for us to set higher standards and encouraged us to invest in larger projects. Sanima is now concluding a PPA for the 15.6 MW Mai Hydropower Project and is also undertaking detailed feasibility studies of various hydropower sites ranging from 4.5 MW to 100 MW.  Timely completion of these power plants would not only result in significant addition of electrical energy available in the national grid but also ensure optimum mobilization of national finances, bring in investments from NRNs and foreign investors, enhance capacities of Nepalese technicians, design engineers and contractors in implementing hydropower projects and create significant employment opportunities at a time when the remittance economy is in recession.

 I would like to thank the Sanima staffs, NEA, Department of Electricity Development (DoED) and all other well wishers, without whom we would not have had reached this stage.  I also look forward to your continuous support as we grow together in the noble mission of lighting and energizing our region for a better tomorrow.

Thanking you,

Arun Kumar Ojha

 Executive Chairman

Sanima Hydropower (P.) Ltd.
Narayanchaur, Naxal, Kathmandu, Neapl
P.O.Box : 19737
Tel : (977-1) 4415314, 4446442
Fax : (977-1) 4441277
E-mail: arun@sanimahydro.com.np , sanima@sanimahydro.com.np