Nepali Times
Editorial
Shed the load


As darkness falls, instead of pushing on towards home and hearth, more urban Nepalis are likely to be tempted to tarry awhile, if not in their generator-powered offices, then in restaurants and bars in cities that will offer them some respite.

By now, we are all resigned to another long period of loadshedding this winter and beyond. We are equally resigned to the incompetence of an electricity authority that has done so little to increase grid capacity or reduce leakage of what little we have that things are bound to get worse before they get better. The irony is not lost on those who are relieved to hear that power cuts may peak at 'just' 14 hours a day.

But there is something that could be done to shed some part of the load borne by all of us, not just those who can afford to purchase generators, inverters and (still not cheap) solar power. If only government showed more imagination than what they have displayed thus far in resolving Nepal's politics, then daylight saving time (DST) could lighten the days ahead.

It has been estimated that if Nepal Standard Time were pushed forward one hour and 15 minutes, then we could reduce our electricity shortfall by about 16MW, and thus loadshedding by about 40 minutes a day. DST would delay the time at which sunset and sunrise occur by one hour and 15 minutes, which would reduce electricity usage during evening peak hours. This would outweigh the increased use of electricity in the mornings

The supply shortfall this winter is 440MW and this translates into 14 hours of power cuts a day. Nepalis are not rioting in the streets only because they have come to expect nothing from the inept government. DST can reduce the shortfall by 15 per cent.

Systems loss and pilferage of mains electricity is at 45 per cent, highest among Asian countries. Cracking down on power thieves alone could reduce losses by 25 per cent, which would be like adding a 150MW power plant. The other reason for the power crisis is our dependence on run-of-the-river schemes. The time has now come to think about storage plants that capture monsoon runoff in reservoirs to generate peak power.

Of course, DST is no straightforward adjustment for a populace unused to it, or unaware of its potential advantages. The benefits would have to outweigh the disadvantages to early risers such as farmers, and there has to be a strong awareness campaign before implementing it.

The reason to go for a one hour and 15-minute DST shift is also to adjust the petty-seeming 15-minute time difference with India to a more reasonable 1.5 hours. And when we do finally get to the point where our hydropower dreams are realised, DST can always be revoked.

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1. aawartan.org
Its a proper idea. However, we will need to "teach" a whole bunch of Nepalis, (even those who call themselves knowledgeable or intellectual as to what DST is) to actually have this realized. Wish we had something like the Chinese Government, that can and has changed national policies changed overnight.


2. jange
Hardly worth the effort. 40 minutes less in a blackout schedule of 18 hours!!

Just a diversion from the real problems of the electricity sector in Nepal.

Why is the NT trying to divert attention from the real issues with diversions like this??


3. Dg
Main issue is to remove this anomaly or incongruity in Nepali Standard Time  of the 15 mins. difference. Make it either 6 hrs. or 5.30 hrs. difference with GMT. ; why 5.45.hrs? It is a vestige of  Pachayati days.
Our fire brand  progressive leaders have a pet word making   "Naya Nepal"(New Nepal;). They are advocating every thing  new,including changing the age old flag. First and foremost rationalize time. Then holiday' from Saturday to Sunday.Adopt Gregorian Calender for office purpose. Learn to stand in queue as well ,to re-build Nepal.
 Nepal has a history of thousands of years and has positively  contributed Our ancestors have built it. As some parts are broken down,some are worn out and useless today. Nepal is not like America; where they had to start from a scratch witout  long past .  We are not starting from a stratch, we have a long history   They were building an entirely new culture, a new homogeneous civilization,on a sparsely populated continent. Nepal has 4000years of glorious history behind  We have a population of a  heterogeneous nature.So  such a work cannot be just building a new nation,but re-building a nation.. We may have to cut some partsof our heritage which have become irrelevant, obsolete,and obstacle to our progress. But doing that we need clear thinking,discrimination  in doing that we have to preserve our national culture and life;and amalgam them with modern achievements and with a western scientific temper and  sense of justice and freedom etcs.courage.
 REBUILDING NEPAL ,NOT BUILDING A NEW ONE.

PS.. Otherwise we may have to change the name Nepal also!


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4. H.Zollinger
Electrification in Europe started more than 100 years ago, slowly and self financed and self-developed.
 In Nepal, it comes from outside, it is aid and as such business, controlled by a corrupt government. Some 30 years ago, I worked in Nepal as a Hydro power consultant. Already at that time, we suggested that storage basin should be built in the Himalayas using high head and perennial water flow. Instead, projects were built and are still designed  in the flood prone  (monsoon) or dry (winter) rivers of the hills and lowlands.
It seems politicians do not know the simple equation :  el.energy is the product of head and water flow, i.e. high head schemes have to be favored in the Himalayas. Instead, the government favours  projects in the Indian influence area.


5. Yeti In Kathmandu
As one flies over Kathmandu city, doesn't the thousands and thousands of roof tops look interesting? Now what would happen if even half of those roof tops boasted of a solar panel, each sufficient to light up at least 5 numbers of 5 Watt bulbs? Wonder by what percent it bring down the darkness??? Yes, solar for electricity is expensive! But maybe a subsidy could be worked out to make it attractive ....


LATEST ISSUE
638
(11 JAN 2013 - 17 JAN 2013)


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