11 hrs daily power cuts in offing
eKantipur.com, 23-Aug-2007
BY BIKASH SANGRAULA
The country will face up to 11 hours of daily power cuts in the coming dry season (November-April), according to Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA). The power cuts will be inevitable owing to a peak time power deficit of as much as 354 megawatts (MW).
"The worst power cuts of 11 hours per day will happen in February-March 2008," said Sher Singh Bhat, chief of NEA's Load Dispatching Center (LDC). LDC is NEA's central body responsible for managing the country's power demand and supply and forecasting, preparing and enforcing power cut schedules.
Owing to heavy power cuts, every industry in Birgunj will have to be closed for two to three days a week. The current demand in Birgunj alone is 125 MW, Bhat said.
The longest power cuts the country faced in the last dry season was seven hours daily. Between then and now, the country's energy demand and capacity demand have risen by 8.5 and 8.8 percent respectively, according to Bhat. However, there hasn't been any noteworthy addition of power stations in the national grid.
Addressing the country's business community in the capital on Thursday, Bhat said the peak electricity demand expected in the upcoming dry season is 714 megawatts, while the total energy availability then, including import from India, free power from Tanakpur, and operation of the country's thermal plants, will be just 360 megawatts.
"In the unlikely scenario that we import additional 50 megawatts from India under trading mode from November this year, apart from the 50 megawatt import under power exchange agreement and seventy million units from Tanakpur, the power cuts can go down to nine hours daily," Bhat said.
Forecasts for the coming years are not good either. Even if the 70 MW Middle Marsyangdi comes into operation in August 2008, there will still be up to 10 hours daily power cuts in the dry season of 2008/09, up to 13 hours daily in 2009/10, up to 14 hours daily in 2010/2011, and up to 17 hours daily in 2011/12.
Even in the event Nepal builds high-voltage transmission corridors with India by mid-2009, as targeted by NEA, to import additional power, the scenario does not look good. "If we want affordable electricity, we will have to purchase power from India's long-term market for which we will have to sign a 25-year take or pay agreements. If we want to buy from short-term markets, the effective cost after wheeling charge and trading margin will come to around Rs 12 per unit," Bhat said.
NEA currently charges an average tariff of Rs 6.50 to domestic consumers.
"The only solution is to develop our own projects," he said.
NEA has plans to start operation of 60 MW Upper Trishuli 3A, 27 MW Rahughat, and 14 MW Kulekhani III by 2010, and 45 MW Upper Trishuli 3B, 30 MW Chamelia, and 309 MW Upper Tamakoshi by 2012. Of these, only Kulekhani III and Chamelia are under construction.
Showing posts with label Manufacturing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Manufacturing. Show all posts
Monday, September 03, 2007
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Pashmina suffers identity crisis after years of trade
Pashmina suffers identity crisis after years of trade
eKantipur.com, 18-Jun-2007
POST REPORT
In a major blow, key pashmina importing countries, after accepting the product for years, have suddenly restricted its import demanding definition of the product.
Japan has barred import of pashmina items from Nepal from last week, saying that the products lack specific definition on content, texture and usage.
“As a result, the export of the product has come to a grinding halt from the last five days,” said Durga Bikram Thapa, general secretary of Nepal Pashmina Industries Association.
Likewise, Italy and Spain -- key markets of Nepali pashmina items in Europe -- have also warned of imposing ban on its import unless the manufacturers define the product.
“Both the countries have clearly said they will ban pashmina import from 2008 if Nepal failed to define it,” Thapa said.
Given the trend, exporters said the product, on which Nepal takes pride of enjoying a special advantage in the international market, could face similar problem in other European countries as well. Japan is the sixth largest importer of Nepali pashmina. Italy is also the third largest buyer among European countries.
The problem has added woes to the industry -- the third largest export industry of the country -- already suffering from a constant drop in exports over the years.
The problem emerged mainly because exporters from China, India and even Nepal have been exporting the items with widely varying quality and texture as 'pashmina' items, said Thapa.
It has come suddenly, but it is not unexpected, manufacturers said. Even though the manufacturers ever took pride over pashmina items carving a niche market, they never took serious initiatives to define and brand the items.
The product had faced hitch in past while seeking facility of Generalized System of Preference (GSP) in the European market.
Likewise, the industry had failed to secure its markets when Indian and other manufacturers marketed similar items under the name of pashmina.
So far, India's definition of Cashmere was widely accepted for the trade of pashmina and importers take the Nepali items as variation of the same category. As a result, the manufacturers and exporters, barring a few, never worked seriously to define and label the product.
“Now time has come for us to act urgently,” said Thapa Monday, seeking government's support in defining and branding the Nepali pashmina.
At an interaction program on “Export Sector Problems and Challenges”, he even suggested the carpet exporters to brand Nepali hand knotted woolen carpet.
Addressing the business community, acting Commerce Secretary Purushottam Ojha said that Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies has presently assigned Department of Cottage and Small Industries to work on branding Nepali export items.
Businesspersons earlier sought the government to formulate a separate export policy to deal with the problems facing the sector. They even asked the government to contribute in export promotion, among others.
eKantipur.com, 18-Jun-2007
POST REPORT
In a major blow, key pashmina importing countries, after accepting the product for years, have suddenly restricted its import demanding definition of the product.
Japan has barred import of pashmina items from Nepal from last week, saying that the products lack specific definition on content, texture and usage.
“As a result, the export of the product has come to a grinding halt from the last five days,” said Durga Bikram Thapa, general secretary of Nepal Pashmina Industries Association.
Likewise, Italy and Spain -- key markets of Nepali pashmina items in Europe -- have also warned of imposing ban on its import unless the manufacturers define the product.
“Both the countries have clearly said they will ban pashmina import from 2008 if Nepal failed to define it,” Thapa said.
Given the trend, exporters said the product, on which Nepal takes pride of enjoying a special advantage in the international market, could face similar problem in other European countries as well. Japan is the sixth largest importer of Nepali pashmina. Italy is also the third largest buyer among European countries.
The problem has added woes to the industry -- the third largest export industry of the country -- already suffering from a constant drop in exports over the years.
The problem emerged mainly because exporters from China, India and even Nepal have been exporting the items with widely varying quality and texture as 'pashmina' items, said Thapa.
It has come suddenly, but it is not unexpected, manufacturers said. Even though the manufacturers ever took pride over pashmina items carving a niche market, they never took serious initiatives to define and brand the items.
The product had faced hitch in past while seeking facility of Generalized System of Preference (GSP) in the European market.
Likewise, the industry had failed to secure its markets when Indian and other manufacturers marketed similar items under the name of pashmina.
So far, India's definition of Cashmere was widely accepted for the trade of pashmina and importers take the Nepali items as variation of the same category. As a result, the manufacturers and exporters, barring a few, never worked seriously to define and label the product.
“Now time has come for us to act urgently,” said Thapa Monday, seeking government's support in defining and branding the Nepali pashmina.
At an interaction program on “Export Sector Problems and Challenges”, he even suggested the carpet exporters to brand Nepali hand knotted woolen carpet.
Addressing the business community, acting Commerce Secretary Purushottam Ojha said that Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies has presently assigned Department of Cottage and Small Industries to work on branding Nepali export items.
Businesspersons earlier sought the government to formulate a separate export policy to deal with the problems facing the sector. They even asked the government to contribute in export promotion, among others.
Saturday, June 09, 2007
Hetauda Cement shuts down
Hetauda Cement shuts down
eKantipur.com, 1-Jun-2007
Irregular power supply has forced Hetauda Cement Factory (HCF) to shut down for past one week, creating a crunch in supply in the local market.
Seven hours of load shedding a week has badly affected production, HCF officials said. “We have sufficient raw materials and our machines are functioning. What shall we do when we do not have regular power supply?” asked Ramesh Kumar Aryal, general manager of the factory.
Due to shortage of Hetauda cement in the market, a popular brand, locals are compelled to depend on Indian cement, which is regarded to be of lower quality. HCF has capacity of rolling out 16,000 sacks per day. Last year the factory operated at half the full capacity due to various reasons. The already ailing HCF owes Rs 1 billion to various banks and financial institutions.
eKantipur.com, 1-Jun-2007
Irregular power supply has forced Hetauda Cement Factory (HCF) to shut down for past one week, creating a crunch in supply in the local market.
Seven hours of load shedding a week has badly affected production, HCF officials said. “We have sufficient raw materials and our machines are functioning. What shall we do when we do not have regular power supply?” asked Ramesh Kumar Aryal, general manager of the factory.
Due to shortage of Hetauda cement in the market, a popular brand, locals are compelled to depend on Indian cement, which is regarded to be of lower quality. HCF has capacity of rolling out 16,000 sacks per day. Last year the factory operated at half the full capacity due to various reasons. The already ailing HCF owes Rs 1 billion to various banks and financial institutions.
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