Kulman to Energy Minister: Give NEA a Full-Time Chief

Frequent electricity disruptions across Nepal have moved beyond a routine public complaint to become a national governance issue, drawing attention in Parliament, on the streets, and across social media. As frustration grows over repeated power cuts, the debate has widened from immediate service delivery to the long-term leadership and management of the country’s electricity system.

Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Minister Biraj Bhakta Shrestha says the government has begun a focused campaign to address the problem after his field visit to western Nepal revealed that the frequency of outages was more serious than official data had indicated.

According to the minister, every complaint received through the newly activated hotline on the first day of the campaign was addressed. He said the government is giving priority to responding quickly to public grievances while working to make electricity supply more reliable.

Former NEA Chief Points to Leadership Vacuum

Former Nepal Electricity Authority Executive Director Kulman Ghising argues that the current problem cannot be explained by technical failures alone.

He acknowledged that occasional power interruptions during the monsoon season are expected because of technical reasons. However, he said restoring normal supply quickly requires experienced leadership capable of making timely operational decisions.

Ghising maintains that the Nepal Electricity Authority has been operating for a prolonged period without a full-time executive leadership, affecting institutional decision-making. In his view, forming committees after problems emerge is not enough to resolve systemic weaknesses. He says the authority requires a permanent, capable and fully empowered leadership to ensure effective management of the power sector.

Attention Turns to Long-Term Power System Improvements

Beyond the immediate outages, Ghising has called for greater government focus on completing transmission and distribution projects on schedule, modernising the electricity system, carrying out regular maintenance, and strengthening emergency response mechanisms.

The government’s push for an immediate response and Ghising’s emphasis on institutional reform have placed two different approaches side by side. While Minister Shrestha says the current campaign is aimed at restoring reliable electricity supply without delay, the former NEA chief insists that sustainable improvement will depend on appointing permanent leadership at the authority and strengthening the institutions responsible for managing Nepal’s power network.