Empowering Micro Hydro Plants In Nepal

With funding support from WISIONS and in partnership with the UNDP-GEF supported “Renewable Energy for Rural Livelihood” project, Winrock International implemented “Sharing Learning Across Projects: Operating Micro Hydro Plants as Commercially Viable Enterprises”. Five financially and managerially weak micro hydro plants were selected in the Baglung and Gulmi districts to participate in the facilitated sharing of best management practices between successful and weak Plants. The series of knowledge exchange workshops empowered management committees and local representatives to improve managerial and financial systems, business plan and business model development and computer-based accounting systems. The activities resulted in significant managerial improvement of the selected micro hydro plants by providing reliable power supply with a remarkable increase in revenue generation and established the micro hydro plants as profitable enterprises. After the interventions, electricity sales increased up to 40% with additional households and enterprises connected and increased productive end uses, the adoption of a transparent accounting system, improved tariff collection, greater satisfaction among beneficiaries and better ownership of stakeholders. The project shows huge potential for the government and other development partners to focus on improving the management of micro hydro plants and increasing reliability of electricity connections through similar knowledge exchange programs in the remaining 2,000 micro hydro plants all over the country. Winrock International is a recognized leader in U.S. and international development, providing solutions to some of the world’s most complex social, agricultural and environmental challenges. Inspired by its namesake Winthrop Rockefeller, Winrock’s mission is to empower the disadvantaged, increase economic opportunity and sustain natural resources. Winrock combines technical expertise with entrepreneurial innovation to improve lives around the globe. https://www.winrock.org/