Comprehensive Hydropower
Development Reference
Authoritative insights sourced from NEA, DoED, and MoFE — from survey license to asset handover.
Development Lifecycle DoEDMoFE
10-step process from company registration through survey license, environmental approval, PPA, construction, and final asset handover to GoN.
Project Development Lifecycle
NEA — Key Statistics Q2 FY 2082/83 · Dec 2025
Updated from NEA's FY 2082/83 Q2 Self-Publication (Kartik–Poush 2082 / Oct–Dec 2025).
PPA Rates & Revenue Projection Module NEA2074/01/14
Official ROR, PROR, and Storage power purchase rates based on NEA Board Decisions effective 2074/01/14 (April 27, 2017). Includes an interactive lifecycle and financial calculator utilizing 3% simple escalation.
PPA Revenue & Financial Projections
ROR Rates — Up to 100 MW
| Option | Season | Period | Rate (Rs./kWh) | Min. Dry Energy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Option 1 (6 months each) | Wet | Jestha 16 – Mangsir 15 | 4.80 | 30% |
| Dry | Mangsir 16 – Jestha 15 | 8.40 | ||
| Option 2 (4 Dry / 8 Wet) | Wet | Baisakh – Mangsir | 4.80 | 15% |
| Dry | Poush – Chaitra | 8.40 |
PROR Rates — Peaking Run of River
| Season | Time of Day | Daily Hours required to generate at rated capacity | Rate (Rs./kWh) | Min. Dry Energy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry (Mangsir 16 - Jestha 15) | Peak hours | 1 hr to <2 hrs | 8.50 | 30% |
| 2 hrs to <3 hrs | 8.80 | |||
| 3 hrs to <4 hrs | 9.40 | |||
| 4 hrs to 6 hrs | 10.55 | |||
| Non-peak hours | All other hours | 8.40 | ||
| Wet (Jestha 16 - Mangsir 15) | All hours | - | 4.80 | - |
STORAGE / RESERVOIR PROJECT RATES
| Season | Period | Rate (Rs./kWh) | Min. Dry Energy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry | Mangsir 16 – Jestha 15 | 12.40 | 35% |
| Wet | Jestha 16 – Mangsir 15 | 7.10* | - |
Solar PPA
| Parameter | Detail |
|---|---|
| Maximum base tariff ceiling | NPR 5.94 / unit |
| PPA duration | 25 years (fixed rate) |
| Construction (<10 MW) | 18 months from PPA date |
| Construction (>10 MW) | 24 months from PPA date |
DoED — Licensing Framework DoED
Survey license and generation license process, document requirements, royalty structure, and fiscal incentives.
- Certificate of Incorporation (OCR)
- MOA / AOA of applicant company
- Citizenship certificates of all directors
- Board resolution for application
- Financial capability / bank guarantees
- Technical proposal with river system, location, capacity
- Topographic maps of project site
- Application fee (15% of license fee)
- Valid Survey License (certified copy)
- Detailed Project Report (DPR) per DoED guidelines
- Approved IEE or EIA report
- Signed PPA with NEA
- Financial closure evidence (30% equity min.)
- Land ownership/lease certificates
- Affected community consent letters
- Application fee (33.33% of license fee)
- Survey License: within 30 days
- Survey License validity: 2 years (max 5)
- Generation License: within 120 days
- Generation License term: 35 years (max 50)
- Construction must begin within 3 months
- 100% foreign investment permitted
Royalty Structure
Capacity Royalty
| Period | Rate / kW / year |
|---|---|
| First 15 years | NPR 100 |
| After 15 years | NPR 1,000 |
Energy Royalty
| Period | % of Average Tariff |
|---|---|
| First 15 years | 2% |
| After 15 years | 10% |
MoFE — Environmental Clearance MoFE / DoE
EIA/IEE thresholds, MoFE approval process, forest and protected area clearances, and key environmental legislation.
🌲 Forest & Protected Area Clearances
- Forest clearance if project land is forest area
- National Parks require DNPWC clearance
- In protected areas: EIA for >10 MW
- Tree planting ratio: 1:10 (compensatory afforestation)
🌊 Environmental Management Plan
- EMP monitored by MoEWRI
- Developer must implement per approved EIA/IEE
- Minimum environmental flow (e-flow) mandatory downstream
- Annual environmental monitoring report required
📄 Key Environmental Laws
- Environment Protection Act 2076 (2019)
- Environment Protection Rules 2077 (2020)
- Water Resources Act 2049 (1992)
- Forest Act 2019
- National Parks and Wildlife Protection Act 1973
⏱️ Typical Timeline
- IEE (≤50 MW): 3–6 months from submission
- EIA (>50 MW): 6–12 months
- Forest clearance: additional 2–4 months
- Protected area clearance: additional 3–6 months
Legal Framework & Classifications
Hydropower classification tables, core Acts and Regulations, and regulatory body responsibilities.
Administrative Classification
| Category | Capacity | Regulatory Body |
|---|---|---|
| Micro Hydro | <1 MW | Local Government / Ward Office |
| Small Hydro | 1–10 MW | DoED (simplified process) |
| Medium Hydro | 10–25 MW | DoED (standard process) |
| Large Hydro | 25–500 MW | DoED / Cabinet approval |
| Mega Projects | >500 MW | Investment Board of Nepal (IBN) |
Classification by Head
| Type | Head Range |
|---|---|
| Very Low Head | Up to 15 m |
| Low Head | Below 60 m |
| Medium Head | 60–150 m |
| High Head | 150–350 m |
| Very High Head | >350 m |
| Act / Regulation | Year | Key Provisions |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity Act (2049) | 1992 | Primary legislation — licensing, GoN nationalization rights, license transfer |
| Electricity Rules (2050) | 1993 | Detailed procedures for survey/generation licenses, royalty schedule |
| Water Resources Act (2049) | 1992 | Regulates use of water resources for hydropower generation |
| Environment Protection Act (2076) | 2019 | Mandates EIA/IEE for development projects |
| Hydropower Development Policy | 2001 | Royalty structure, foreign investment rules, right of reversion |
| NEA Board Decisions | 2017 | Differentiated PPA rates for ROR, PROR, and Reservoir-based projects |
Technical Manuals & Guidelines
Official PDFs from DoED, NEA, and MoFE — click any card to open.
Consumer Tariff Rates & Estimator NEA 2026
Official electricity tariff for domestic, commercial, industrial and special categories. Interactive bill estimator included. Translated from the official NEA tariff PDF.
NEA Electricity Bill Estimator
Calculation Breakdown
| Units (kWh) / Month | 5 Ampere | 15 Ampere | 30 Ampere | 60 Ampere | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Min Charge (Rs.) | Energy Rate (Rs.) | Min Charge (Rs.) | Energy Rate (Rs.) | Min Charge (Rs.) | Energy Rate (Rs.) | Min Charge (Rs.) | Energy Rate (Rs.) | |
| 0 - 20 | 30 | 0.00* | 50 | 4.00 | 75 | 5.00 | 125 | 6.00 |
| 21 - 30 | 50 | 6.50 | 75 | 6.50 | 100 | 6.50 | 125 | 6.50 |
| 31 - 50 | 50 | 8.00 | 75 | 8.00 | 100 | 8.00 | 125 | 8.00 |
| 51 - 100 | 75 | 9.50 | 100 | 9.50 | 125 | 9.50 | 150 | 9.50 |
| 101 - 250 | 100 | 9.50 | 125 | 9.50 | 150 | 9.50 | 200 | 9.50 |
| Above 250 | 150 | 11.00 | 175 | 11.00 | 200 | 11.00 | 250 | 11.00 |
| Category | Min Charge (Rs.) | Energy Rate (Rs./Unit) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashad-Kattik | Mangsir-Jestha | ||
| Up to 10 kVA | 1,100 | 10.50 | 11.50 |
| Above 10 kVA | 1,800 | 10.50 | 11.50 |
| Category | Min Charge (Rs.) | Energy Rate (Rs./Unit) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashad-Kattik | Mangsir-Jestha | ||
| Any Usage | 10,000 | 10.50 | 11.00 |
| Consumer Category | Demand/Min Charge (Rs. / kVA / Month) | Energy Rate (Rs. / Unit) |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Industrial | ||
| a. Rural and Cottage Industry | 60 | 7.80 |
| b. Small Industry | 110 | 9.60 |
| 2. Commercial | 325 | 11.20 |
| 3. Non-Commercial | 215 | 12.00 |
| 4. Irrigation | 0 | 2.25 |
| 5. Water Supply | ||
| a. Community Water Supply | 0 | 4.20 |
| b. Other Water Supply | 160 | 7.20 |
| 6. Transport (Including Charging Stations) | ||
| a. Public Transport | 200 | 5.75 |
| b. Other Transport | 220 | 8.90 |
| 7. Religious Places | 0 | 6.10 |
| 8. Street Light | ||
| a. Meter Installed | 0 | 7.30 |
| b. Meter Not Installed | 2,475 | 0.00 |
| 9. Temporary Connection | 0 | 19.80 |
| 10. Non-Domestic | 350 | 13.00 |
| 11. Entertainment Business | 350 | 14.00 |
| Consumer Category | Demand Charge (Rs. / kVA / Month) | Energy Rate (Rs. / Unit) |
|---|---|---|
| A. High Voltage | ||
| 1. Industrial (132 kV) | 230 | 8.20 |
| 2. Industrial (66 kV) | 240 | 8.30 |
| B. Medium Voltage (33 kV) | ||
| 1. Industrial | 255 | 8.40 |
| 2. Commercial | 315 | 10.80 |
| 3. Non-Commercial | 240 | 11.40 |
| 4. Irrigation | 0 | 2.50 |
| 5a. Community Water Supply | 0 | 4.60 |
| 5b. Other Water Supply | 160 | 6.60 |
| 6a. Transport (Public) | 230 | 5.60 |
| 6b. Transport (Other) | 255 | 8.60 |
| 7. Non-Domestic | 350 | 12.55 |
| 8. Entertainment Business | 350 | 13.50 |
| C. Medium Voltage (11 kV) | ||
| 1. Industrial | 255 | 8.60 |
| 2. Commercial | 315 | 11.10 |
| 3. Non-Commercial | 240 | 11.50 |
| 4. Irrigation | 0 | 2.60 |
| 5a. Community Water Supply | 0 | 4.80 |
| 5b. Other Water Supply | 150 | 6.80 |
| 6a. Transport (Public) | 230 | 5.60 |
| 6b. Transport (Other) | 255 | 8.80 |
| 7. Religious Places | 220 | 9.90 |
| 8. Temporary Connection | 330 | 12.00 |
| 9. Non-Domestic | 350 | 12.90 |
| 10. Entertainment Business | 350 | 13.90 |
| Consumer Category | Demand Charge (Rs.) | Energy Rate (Rs. / Unit) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peak (17:00 - 23:00) | Off-Peak (23:00 - 05:00) | Normal (05:00 - 17:00) | ||
| A. High Voltage | ||||
| 1. Industrial (132 kV) | 230 | 10.00 | 4.65 | 8.20 |
| 2. Industrial (66 kV) | 240 | 10.10 | 4.75 | 8.30 |
| B. Medium Voltage (33 kV) | ||||
| 1. Industrial | 250 | 10.20 | 5.25 | 8.40 |
| 2. Commercial | 315 | 12.30 | 6.75 | 10.80 |
| 3. Non-Commercial | 240 | 13.20 | 7.00 | 12.00 |
| 4. Irrigation | 0 | 6.30 | 2.00 | 3.00 |
| 5a. Community Water | 0 | 6.20 | 3.10 | 4.60 |
| 5b. Other Water Supply | 150 | 10.20 | 5.25 | 8.40 |
| 6a. Transport (Charging Station) | 230 | 7.00 | 3.70 | 5.50 |
| 6b. Transport (Other) | 255 | 9.35 | 3.70 | 8.40 |
| 7. Street Light | 80 | 8.40 | 3.50 | 4.20 |
| C. Medium Voltage (11 kV) | ||||
| 1. Industrial | 250 | 10.50 | 5.40 | 8.55 |
| 2. Commercial | 315 | 12.60 | 6.90 | 11.10 |
| 3. Non-Commercial | 240 | 13.50 | 7.15 | 12.25 |
| 4. Irrigation | 0 | 6.40 | 2.00 | 3.10 |
| 5a. Community Water | 0 | 6.30 | 3.40 | 4.70 |
| 5b. Other Water Supply | 150 | 10.50 | 5.40 | 8.50 |
| 6a. Transport (Charging Station) | 230 | 7.15 | 4.20 | 5.60 |
| 6b. Transport (Other) | 255 | 9.65 | 4.20 | 8.50 |
| 7. Street Light | 80 | 8.80 | 3.75 | 4.40 |
| 8. Religious Places | 220 | 11.30 | 5.15 | 9.10 |
| 9. Temporary Connection | 330 | 14.40 | 6.60 | 11.75 |
| D. Low Voltage (230/400 Volt) | ||||
| 1a. Transport (Charging Station) | 200 | 7.25 | 4.30 | 5.75 |
| 1b. Transport (Other) | 220 | 9.75 | 4.30 | 8.60 |
| Consumer Category | Demand Charge (Rs.) | Energy Rate (Rs. / Unit) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peak (17:00 - 23:00) | Other Times (23:00 - 17:00 Next Day) | ||
| A. High Voltage | |||
| 1. Industrial (132 kV) | 230 | 10.00 | 8.20 |
| 2. Industrial (66 kV) | 240 | 10.10 | 8.30 |
| B. Medium Voltage (33 kV) | |||
| 1. Industrial | 250 | 10.20 | 8.40 |
| 2. Commercial | 315 | 12.30 | 10.80 |
| 3. Non-Commercial | 240 | 13.20 | 12.00 |
| 4. Irrigation | 0 | 6.30 | 3.00 |
| 5a. Community Water | 0 | 6.20 | 4.60 |
| 5b. Other Water Supply | 150 | 10.20 | 8.40 |
| 6a. Transport (Charging Station) | 230 | 7.00 | 5.50 |
| 6b. Transport (Other) | 255 | 9.35 | 8.40 |
| 7. Street Light | 80 | 8.40 | 4.20 |
| C. Medium Voltage (11 kV) | |||
| 1. Industrial | 250 | 10.50 | 8.55 |
| 2. Commercial | 315 | 12.60 | 11.10 |
| 3. Non-Commercial | 240 | 13.50 | 12.25 |
| 4. Irrigation | 0 | 6.40 | 3.10 |
| 5a. Community Water | 0 | 6.30 | 4.70 |
| 5b. Other Water Supply | 150 | 10.50 | 8.50 |
| 6a. Transport (Charging Station) | 230 | 7.15 | 5.60 |
| 6b. Transport (Other) | 255 | 9.65 | 8.50 |
| 7. Street Light | 80 | 8.80 | 4.40 |
| 8. Religious Places | 220 | 11.30 | 9.10 |
| 9. Temporary Connection | 330 | 14.40 | 11.75 |
| D. Low Voltage (230/400 Volt) | |||
| 1a. Transport (Charging Station) | 200 | 7.25 | 5.75 |
| 1b. Transport (Other) | 220 | 9.75 | 8.60 |
| Voltage Level | Monthly Minimum Charge (Rs.) | Energy Rate (Rs. / Unit) |
|---|---|---|
| A. Medium Voltage (11 kV / 33 kV) | ||
| N x 20 Units (Monthly) | N x 30 | 0.00 |
| Above N x 20 Units (Monthly) | - | 6.00 |
| B. Low Voltage (230/400 Volt) | ||
| N x 20 Units (Monthly) | N x 30 | 0.00 |
| Above N x 20 Units (Monthly) | - | 6.25 |
| Service Description | Rate (Rs.) |
|---|---|
| 1. Application Form | |
| a) Domestic | 100 |
| b) Other Customers | 200 |
| c) Application for other purposes | 10 |
| 2. Fuse Service | |
| a) Single Phase | 100 |
| b) Three Phase | 200 |
| 3. Meter Sealing | |
| a) Box Seal (On customer request) | 200 |
| a) Box Seal (Discovered by Office) | 500 |
| b) Terminal Seal | 400 |
| c) Reading Seal | 1000 |
| d) CT/PT Seal | 1000 |
| 4. New Meter Installation (Energy Meter Capacity) | |
| a) 5 Ampere | 100 |
| b) 15 Ampere | 150 |
| c) 30 Ampere | 300 |
| d) 60 Ampere | 500 |
| e) Three Phase | 1000 |
| f) Up to 10 kVA (Other Customer) | 1000 |
| g) Above 10 kVA (Other Customer) | 1500 |
| h) Time of Day (ToD) Meter | 1500 |
| 5. Pole Installation (If Required) | |
| a) Single Phase (per pole) | 500 |
| b) Three Phase (per pole) | 1000 |
| 6. Meter Capacity Change | |
| a) Capacity Upgrade (Single & Three Phase) | 0 |
| b) Capacity Downgrade (Single Phase) | 300 |
| c) Capacity Downgrade (Three Phase) | 500 |
| 7. Electricity Supply Cut & Reconnect | |
| a) Line Cut | 250 |
| b) Line Reconnect | 500 |
| 8. Meter Relocation | |
| a) Single Phase | 700 |
| b) Three Phase | 1000 |
| 9. Ownership/Name Transfer | |
| a) Domestic (Inheritance with written proof) | 500 |
| b) Domestic (House sale - mutual agreement) | 1000 |
| c) Domestic (Sale with public notice requirement) | 1500 |
| d) Industrial & Others | 2000 |
| 10. Meter Testing | |
| a) Single Phase | 500 |
| b) Three Phase | 1000 |
| c) ToD Meter | 2000 |
| d) Sub-meter | 500 |
| e) CT Meter | 1500 |
| 11. De-registration (Lagat Kharej) | |
| a) Single Phase | 500 |
| b) Three Phase | 1000 |
NEA Report — FY 2081/82 & Q2 FY 2082/83 NEA Updated Dec 2025
NEA Annual Report FY 2081/82 + Q2 FY 2082/83 Self-Publication (Oct–Dec 2025). Capacity: 3,617.54 MW. Customers: 6.11 million. Data from nea.org.np/en.
NEA Publications & Auto-Publications NEA
All official NEA reports, magazines, and self-publications (स्वतःप्रकाशन). Auto-updates from nea.org.np/en/category/auto-publication.