Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has warned industries that fail to clear pending electricity bills that their power lines will be cut after midnight on Kartik 2. This move puts strong pressure on companies to settle their dues immediately.
Rajan Dhakal, NEA spokesperson, said, “Despite repeated requests, many industries haven’t paid. Some contacted us to discuss, but time is up. Pay by the deadline or face power cuts. This is the final notice.”
Under the direction of Energy Minister Kulman Ghising and active NEA Executive Director Manoj Silwal, the authority has intensified the campaign. The management committee has made it clear: no compromises on pending dues.
The issue dates back to the tough loadshedding period between Magh 2072 and Baisakh 2075. At that time, NEA provided industries uninterrupted power through dedicated feeders and trunk lines for premium fees. Some industries questioned the legality of charges and lack of TOD meters, refusing payment. This has left over NPR 640.92 crore unpaid out of a total of NPR 2,344 crore.
NEA allowed industries to pay dues in 28 installments. Only Samrat and Rolpa Cement partially paid. The rest have ignored the facility, leaving NEA’s finances under strain. The authority claims NPR 24 billion from dedicated and trunk line charges, plus NPR 20–22 billion expected from the government, remain unpaid.
This problem has lingered for over 10 years. Previous leadership reduced deposits from 25% to 5% to ease payment, but 46 industries filed for administrative reviews. After recent protests, the Energy Minister scrapped old procedures and ordered strict recovery. Courts have suggested industries follow administrative review, but compliance remains limited.
After Kartik 2, NEA is determined to cut power for non-paying industries. The long-standing tension between NEA and industries is entering a critical phase, and failure to pay will leave companies in the dark.
