Government opens national transmission line to private sector, sets wheeling charge

The government has opened the way for the private sector to use the national electricity transmission line.

The Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation took the decision with the aim of bringing private companies into electricity trading as well.

The Electricity Regulatory Commission has set the wheeling charge payable for using the grid according to new standards. The rate was fixed with the goal of providing open access to the transmission and distribution system.

According to the commission, the charge is about 57 paisa per unit for short-term use and about Rs 41,275 per megawatt for long-term use.

However, the Independent Power Producers' Association, Nepal (IPPAN), has called the rate excessively expensive and has asked the commission to review it.