FNCCI condemns NEA withdrawal

The Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), the apex body for the private sector, has condemned the Nepal Electricity Authority’s (NEA’s) move to bow to critics’ pressure and withdraw from its earlier decision to upgrade the capacity of the Upper Trishuli 3A hydropower project from 60 to 90.
Issuing a statement on Thursday, FNCCI said the government had to assess all aspects of the project before taking any decision.
“It is not appropriate that the government keeps changing its decision under the influence of some people,” reads the FNCCI statement.
FNCCI, which had earlier brought all major political parties together to agree on the common agenda of developing hydropower projects in the country, said government decisions should be made based on the larger interest of the nation.
FNCCI said the government should have acted in a more mature manner regarding the upgrading of the project capacity in the beginning.
“These kinds of activities send a negative message to the global market,” FNCCI said. “We urge the government, and specially the Ministry of Energy (MoE) and Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), to be confident about its decisions and activities.”
The NEA board had decided to upgrade the capacity of the project on May 31 but then withdrew the decision on Wednesday after protest from the employees’ unions at the NEA.