| Bank NMB Bank Limited |
Mahasher Rai runs a stationary shop and a press in the Chyasmitar village of Khotang district. He also has a computer institute equipped with 10 computers. Business has been growing for Mahasher Rai. The energy generated to run his small enterprises comes from a solar micro grid installed by Shree Halesi Solar Minigrid Company.
‘I am happy with the income that I generate from my shop, it helps me look after my family and also impart basic computer courses to the villagers.’ says Mr. Rai.
But the scenario was different in early 2015 when the power supply in Chyasmitar was just enough to barely light households.
33% of Nepal’s 28 million population has no access to electricity, with 39% of the rural population reeling in darkness after nightfall. In cases where households do have access to electricity, a 500 MW deficit exists between demand and supply, resulting in long load shedding periods (often 16+ hours per day), and interrupted power supply with frequent voltage fluctuations. Remote villages remain unconnected to the national grid, primarily due to inaccessibility to low population regions, making it difficult to build transmission lines. The majority of these villages still rely on kerosene and battery Tukis (lamps). Low electricity demand in these areas makes it commercially unviable to extend the national grid.