KATHMANDU, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- An international Hydro Expo is scheduled to be held in Kathmandu in January 2019, the Independent Power Producers' Association Nepal (IPPAN), a representative body of Nepal's private power developers, said on Monday.
The IPPAN is preparing the "Himalayan Hydro Expo" on Jan. 18-20 where over 150 exhibitors related to hydropower developers, associated technology equipment manufacturers and suppliers, investors, banks, insurance companies, construction companies are expected to participate in the event.
The IPPAN had organized the similar expo in January this year, where around 100 exhibitors including seven from China had participated.
"We expect increased participation of equipment manufacturers from China and India this year because companies from these countries are largely active in supplying equipments to hydropower projects in Nepal," Ananda Chaudhary, treasurer of the IPPAN, told Xinhua.
According to IPPAN, hydropower projects with combined capacity of 3,000 MW are under construction from the private sector. Despite being rich in water resources, Nepal has so far failed to utilize them in developing power.
As of last fiscal year 2017-18 that concluded in mid-July, the Himalayan country has developed just 1073 MW of hydropower projects, according to the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation.
The country has targeted to produce 15,000 MW in the next 10 years and sought both domestic and foreign investment.
