KATHMANDU: Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) and the Alternative Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC) have signed an agreement to restart the biogas (waste-to-energy) plant at Teku as part of efforts to strengthen sustainable urban waste management.

The agreement was signed on Tuesday in the presence of Acting Mayor Sunita Dangol. KMC Chief Administrative Officer Saroj Guragain and AEPC Executive Director Navaraj Dhakal signed the memorandum of understanding, committing both institutions to jointly operate and sustainably manage the facility.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Acting Mayor Dangol stressed the importance of completing the project within the stipulated timeframe and ensuring its long-term, sustainable operation. She said the partnership reflects the city’s commitment to adopting modern, technology-driven solutions for managing organic municipal waste.

The Teku biogas plant was constructed under KMC’s Integrated Sustainable Waste Management Project. Construction began in 2015 and the facility started operation in 2018.

The plant was designed to process three metric tonnes of organic waste per day, generating 14 kilowatts of electricity, 300 kilograms of organic fertilizer, and 13,500 litres of treated water daily.

The project was jointly financed by Kathmandu Metropolitan City and the European Union, with a total investment of Rs 18.2 million. The new agreement is expected to help restore the facility’s operations and improve the capital’s waste-to-energy and resource recovery capacity.