Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) will add 630 megawatts (MW) to its power grid through construction new power plants and buying electricity from private sector, local newspaper The Kathmandu Post reported on Saturday.

NEA is starting construction of projects totaling 481 MW in output and is also entering into Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) with private sector producers for projects totaling 150 MW in the next six months, according to NEA chief Arjun Karki.

"Of the projects we are building, we have more or less sealed financial commitments for the 61 MW Upper Trishuli A, 30 MW Chameliagadh, 27 MW Raghughat and 14 MW Kulekhani III," said Karki. China, South Korea, Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) fund and NEA are funding these projects.

"Apart from these, NEA will start construction of the 309 MW Upper Tamakoshi either with internal funds or through international funding, with the project remaining under NEA's ownership, and work will also start on the 40 MW Upper Trishuli B which will follow Upper Trishuli A as a cascade project," said Karki.

Meanwhile, NEA is entering into PPAs with private producers for the 53 MW Upper Marsyangdi, 42 MW Upper Modi A, 20 MW Trishuli III, 14 MW Maikhola, 9.5 MW Seti and other smaller projects.

"All the PPAs will be signed in six months," Karki said.

Among projects NEA is building, Upper Trishuli A, Kulekhani III and Raghughat will begin generation in 2010, Chameliagadh and Upper Trishuli B in 2011, and Upper Tamakoshi in 2012.

"There will be no power cuts in Nepal from 2012," Karki said.

Source: Xinhua