Deal inked to begin HydroNepal Project

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KATHMANDU, FEBRUARY 9: The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), the Embassy of France in Nepal, and Blue Water Intelligence (BWI) have jointly signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the launch of the HydroNepal Project.

The MoU was signed last Friday by NEA Managing Director Kul Man Ghising and BWI CEO Jeremy Fain, in the presence of French Ambassador Virginie Corteval.

"This initiative marks a significant milestone in digitizing Nepal’s river basins to optimize its vast hydropower resources and enhance preparedness for hydrological risks," the French Embassy mentioned in a press statement.

The project aims to support Nepal’s long-term vision for low-carbon energy development by digitizing basin data and providing advanced hydrological insights, such as river discharge forecasts, flow duration curves, and flow frequency analysis.

Through the collaboration between NEA, BWI, and the Central Department of Hydrology and Meteorology of Tribhuvan University (TU), the project seeks to improve understanding of hydrological processes in the Himalayan region under changing climatic conditions, and their effects on hydropower generation.

On the occasion, the French Ambassador described the project as a “testament to the strong commitment between Nepal and France in advancing sustainable energy.”

NEA Managing Director Ghising emphasized the importance of collaboration to ensure the project's success, adding that it would lay the foundation for further cooperation between Nepal and France.