KATHMANDU, July 9: Chairman of the Ujyalo Nepal Party and former Managing Director of the Nepal Electricity Authority Kulman Ghising has said the recent increase in brief power outages across the country is the result of the Nepal Electricity Authority operating without permanent leadership.
In a social media post, Ghising said occasional power interruptions during the monsoon season are a normal technical challenge for any electricity system.
He clarified that such outages do not mean Nepal is facing an electricity shortage or that the power system has failed. However, he stressed that addressing such technical challenges requires capable, experienced, and decisive leadership.
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"It is unfortunate that one of the country's most important public institutions, the Nepal Electricity Authority, has been operating for a long time under an acting leadership," Ghising wrote. "Expecting problems to be solved while leaving such an institution without permanent leadership reflects the government's lack of foresight. Even more ironic is that the government shows no urgency in appointing a capable chief but rushes to form committees once problems emerge. Committees cannot run an electricity system. It needs leadership that can make decisions."
Following a rise in frequent short power outages across the country, the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation has formed a special task force led by a joint secretary to investigate the issue.
Ghising said the public is ultimately paying the price for administrative uncertainty, delayed decision-making, and political interference.
"The energy sector is not a political laboratory," he said. "It is a sensitive sector directly linked to the country's economy, industries, services, and people's daily lives. Delays in decision-making can weaken staff morale and affect the implementation of long-term plans. If the government truly considers energy security a priority, it must immediately appoint a full-time, capable, and independent leader at the Nepal Electricity Authority."
He warned that today's intermittent outages could soon develop into a much deeper institutional crisis if the leadership vacuum continues.
"Trying to hide the absence of leadership behind technical explanations is not a solution," Ghising said. "The energy sector depends on continuous decision-making, coordination, and technical expertise. The government's priority should be to immediately appoint a full-time, competent, and empowered leadership at the Nepal Electricity Authority to ensure institutional stability."
Ghising also urged the government to speed up the completion and operation of under-construction transmission and distribution infrastructure, modernize the power network, strengthen routine maintenance, improve system reliability, and make emergency response mechanisms more effective.
He said the country already knows where the problem lies, adding that it is now the government's responsibility to deliver a solution.
