Potentiality of Hydroelectricity in Nepal:
Nepal is rich in water resources. It ranks second in the world in terms of water resources. The main sources of water in Nepal are rivers, lakes, and groundwater. There are about 6000 rivers and rivulets in Nepal. Most of the rivers originate from the mountains and reach the Terai region with high speed. Therefore, electricity can be easily generated by building dams on these rivers.
The potentiality of hydroelectricity in Nepal is about 83,000 MW, which is 2.27% of the world’s total hydroelectricity potential. However, only 44,370 MW of the potential capacity is techno-economically viable. It is expressed in the following table:
River Basin | Theoretical Potentiality | Techno-economic Potentiality |
1. Koshi | 22,350 MW | 10,860 MW |
2. Gandaki | 20,650 MW | 5,270 MW |
3. Karnali and Mahakali | 36,000 MW | 27,360 MW |
4. Southern Rivers | 4,000 MW | 880 MW |
Total | 83,000 MW | 44,370 MW |
Moreover, it is possible to export electricity to India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, etc. Therefore, there can be no disagreement over Nepal’s development if it can be utilized to its full potential.
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