The government on Wednesday declared the country was facing an energy crisis and announced a plan of action to tide over the energy shortfall in the next four and a half years.

Deputy PM and Finance Minister Bharat Mohan Adhikari announced plans to produce 2,500MW of electricity within five years. The government has also proposed an Energy Crisis Control Commission to oversee government programs for power production.

According to the plan, the government will reduce power leakages from 26 per cent to 20 per cent in the next six months, waive custom duties for materials related to the production of solar power, utilise all available thermal plants, and waive income tax for the first 10 years for hydropower companies beginning construction in the next four years. The government aims to reduce loadshedding by at least four hours a day by next year.

Singha Darbar, the country’s main administrative complex, will be powered through solar within nine months.