KATHMANDU: The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has announced that it has completed all necessary preparations to ensure uninterrupted power supply during the upcoming Tihar festival, particularly on the day of Laxmi Puja. Despite losing 430 megawatts of power from the national grid due to recent floods and landslides, the authority stated that there will be no issues with electricity supply.

NEA Executive Director Kulman Ghising explained that while household electricity consumption increases significantly during the festival, the closure of large industries and factories during the holidays prevents excessive pressure on the system. Furthermore, current weather conditions reduce the demand for high-consumption appliances like air conditioners and heaters, making it easier to balance supply and demand. The NEA projects the national peak demand on Laxmi Puja to be around 1,600 megawatts.

To prevent technical disruptions, the authority has been upgrading transformers, strengthening transmission lines, and performing maintenance on substations across the country. Technical teams, including repair crews and emergency support staff, have been placed on 24-hour standby. Currently, domestic power production stands at approximately 3,100 to 3,200 megawatts. The NEA expects a surplus of 800 to 900 megawatts on the day of Laxmi Puja, which can be exported to India. Ghising noted that Nepal remains in a self-reliant position and will not need to import electricity for at least the next month.

Before 2073 BS, the country faced severe power cuts during Tihar, forcing consumers to rely on inverters and candles. The NEA successfully ended load-shedding in the Kathmandu Valley starting from the Laxmi Puja of 2073, followed by the rest of the country in Baisakh 2075. The authority maintains that its current technical readiness will ensure that the festival remains bright without power interruptions.