Village in Nawalparasi illuminated by wind power

RSS

KATHMANDU: The people of Dhaubadi village in Nawalparasi district have been using electricity in their homes twenty four hours a day at a time when the country is reeling under harsh load shedding.

Altogether 46 households are using the electricity through Nepal's first Micro Wind-Solar Electricity System.

The people now need not go to the forest searching for fire wood or to market for kerosene.

Students of the schools in the village have now the opportunity to operate computers, use telephones and watch television.

A 43.6 kw of power was generated from wind and solar at a cost of Rs. 18 million of Asian Development Bank (ADB) assistance.

The five-kw wind turbines and two solar PV used here are the first of this kind of technology in Nepal, the Bank said.

The Bank cooperated to assist the 'Energy for all' programme of the government by promoting the renewable energy, said ADB's South Asian Department Director General S. Hafiz Rahman.

The women of the village have now been undertaking vegetable cultivation through irrigation, said one Ramesh BK.

Planning Officer of the Alternate Energy Promotion Centre Surya Kumar Sapkota said the technology was used for sustainable operation and a cooperative was also established to run this.

The Cooperatives will resolve problems in technology and repair, and will raise electricity tariff.

As the community has accepted the ownership, it will run sustainably, said Environment Ministry Secretary Krishna Gyawali.

Minister for Environment Hemraj Tated and State Minister Durga Devi Mahato had jointly inaugurated the project on December 16.