Nepal Poised to Become a ‘Clean Energy Powerhouse’ for AI and Data Centers

April 20, Kathmandu – The American Chamber of Commerce in Nepal (AmCham Nepal) has launched its prestigious ‘Washington Door Knock’ program with an ambitious proposal to link Nepal’s hydropower resources with energy-intensive digital infrastructures such as artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, and data centers. A delegation including AmCham Nepal’s Founding Chair Ajit Vikram Shah, Mogha Energy President Samarth Mogha, and AmCham Executive Director Amir R. Thapa engaged in in-depth discussions with senior officials from the US government and private sector on various critical investment issues.

The delegation held focused meetings with the US Department of State, Department of Commerce, Department of Energy, US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), and the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC). These discussions centered on positioning Nepal as a reliable and competitive destination for next-generation investments, AmCham stated. The mission’s core theme was the ‘Hydro-to-Data’ concept.

AmCham aims to leverage Nepal’s vast hydropower potential to supply energy for globally expanding sectors based on data processing, AI computation, and blockchain technologies. With abundant renewable energy sources and competitive pricing, Nepal is well-equipped to sustainably power hyperscale data centers, AI training models, crypto mining, cloud computing, and decentralized digital systems, the chamber emphasized.

“Bold thinking is essential for transformative change,” said Ajit Vikram Shah, Founding Chair of AmCham Nepal. “Nepal must transition from secondary aid dependency to trade by aligning with global economic shifts to secure long-term prosperity.” As part of the campaign, AmCham plans to collaborate with the US Energy Association to organize a US-Nepal Energy Roadshow.

Mark W. Menezes, CEO of the US Energy Association, welcomed the Nepalese delegation and highlighted the country’s strategic role in the global clean energy transition. During this mission, USTDA expressed strong interest in supporting feasibility studies for energy-focused digital infrastructures, including AI and data center ecosystems, AmCham reported.

In addition, AmCham noted productive discussions with DFC concerning financial mechanisms to assist Nepalese entrepreneurs and chamber members in digital and energy infrastructure development. The chamber also engaged in dialogues with the World Bank and Asian Development Bank (ADB) during this period.

The delegation met with Atul Keshap, Vice President for South Asia at the US Chamber of Commerce and former ambassador. Keshap conveyed a positive outlook on Nepal’s political maturity and investment potential, pledging to strengthen institutional and private sector collaboration.

“Nepal possesses a rare capacity to provide vast amounts of clean energy for a data-driven world,” said Samarth Mogha, President of Mogha Energy. “By integrating hydropower with AI and blockchain infrastructures, Nepal can evolve beyond an energy exporter to become the digital backbone of the global economy of the future.”

AmCham Nepal has urged the Nepalese government to take decisive steps to reduce regulatory barriers, ensure policy stability, and build forward-looking frameworks supporting AI, crypto, and data-driven industries. “The future waits for no one—and Nepal must not wait either,” the delegation emphasized.