Frequent Power Fluctuations Cause Consumer Dissatisfaction, Disrupt Daily Life and Businesses
Despite declarations that load-shedding has ended in Nepal, frequent power outages continue to affect consumers in the Kathmandu Valley and other regions. According to the Nepal Electricity Authority, disruptions in electricity supply have been caused by system trips triggered by storms, heavy rainfall, and technical faults. The Ministry of Energy has attributed these issues to structural weaknesses in the power distribution network and has launched a special campaign aimed at immediate resolution. (22 Shrawan, Kathmandu)
Although load-shedding was officially declared over a long time ago in Nepal, the recent rise in frequent power cuts and swift restorations in Kathmandu Valley and elsewhere have reminded consumers of past problems. The intermittent power fluctuations, lasting from a few seconds to several minutes, have impacted not only household activities but also offices, industries, hospitals, internet services, and online businesses.
Data from the Nepal Electricity Authority reveals that, in the fiscal year 2082/83 (2025-26), the national transmission system tripped 42 times, with a total outage duration of 5 hours and 5 minutes. In comparison, the previous fiscal year 2081/82 (2024-25) saw 71 trips resulting in 8 hours and 11 minutes of disruption. This trend reflects a decrease in the number of system trips. The authority’s analysis identifies frequent causes such as fallen trees, storm-induced earth faults, jumper wire failures, issues with transformers and substation equipment, and activation of protection systems.
Consumers have expressed complaints about short-term power interruptions on social media platforms. Although the authority’s data indicates a reduction in trip incidents, the national transmission network remains vulnerable to weather-related risks, technical malfunctions, and equipment failures. Since these outages are temporary, the authority classifies them as “tripping” or technical disruptions rather than load-shedding. Nevertheless, the frequent power fluctuations continue to directly affect users.
Energy Minister Biraj Bhakta Shrestha convened a meeting last Ashar (June-July) with provincial leaders from all seven provinces and heads of two divisional offices responsible for power distribution nationwide. Minister Shrestha highlighted that since the completion of the seventh electrification project in Nepalgunj in 1990, there has been little improvement in the distribution network there, while electricity demand is growing annually by approximately 15 percent. The ministry is prioritizing efforts to resolve the power interruption issues as a matter of urgency.