Kathmandu: A high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sushila Karki, alongside top government officials and Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) President Chandra Prasad Dhakal, has produced a compromise proposal to resolve the ongoing dispute over dedicated feeder and trunk line charges.
The discussion, held Monday in the Prime Minister’s office, included Finance Minister Rameshwar Khanal, Energy Minister Kulman Ghising, Industry and Commerce Minister Anil Sinha, Chief Secretary Ek Narayan Aryal, other secretaries, and FNCCI President Dhakal.
Under the proposed middle-ground solution, industries will deposit with the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) an amount equivalent to one installment of the previously agreed 28-installment payment plan. This payment will not be treated as an installment but as a disputed amount held in escrow. Upon receipt, the NEA will immediately restore disconnected power lines.
Once the deposit is made, industries may proceed with review petitions and pursue other legal remedies as needed.
Industries can submit their deposit application to the NEA while simultaneously registering their objections and requesting review or additional legal clarification in the same document.
FNCCI President Dhakal had initiated resolution efforts on Sunday through meetings with Prime Minister Karki, Finance Minister Khanal, and other senior officials. Following this, affected industrialists were invited to the FNCCI for consultations. During the talks, business leaders stated they would agree if the NEA accepted the payment as a deposit against disputed charges rather than an installment, thereby preserving their right to legal recourse.
Currently, the NEA has disconnected power to nearly two dozen industries for non-payment of premium charges related to dedicated feeder and trunk line usage.
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