The government plans to provide access to on-grid electricity to over 1,600 households across the country in the 12th Five Year Plan. The Economic Affairs Minister said in a few of the places where it is not at all possible, the government will provide off-grid electricity through the solar photovoltaic system. Providing a reliable power supply in Lunana was one of the major pledges of the current government.
While 99.97 per cent of the households in the country have been provided with the electricity as of today including around 164 households across the country which are connected to off-grid electricity, 300 households in Lunana which are yet to be electrified also falls in the remaining 0.03 per cent.
“It is like 100 per cent on-grid. But there are times when children move out from their parent’s house and the household increases. Moreover, we know how our country is. Houses are in the forest and it is difficult to set up electricity cable to that place because they are protected areas. Aja Nye and Lunana are few examples. So this is what it is when the data says there is 99.97 per cent of households with electricity,” said Loknath Sharma, the Economic Affairs Minister.
The minister added that those households where it is not at all possible to provide electricity will be provided with a solar photovoltaic system.
“As per the 12th Five Year Plan, we have 1,691 households to be electrified. On top of that, Khamaed Lunana MP said that six households in Raminang do not have electricity to which we talked to the BPC and we have decided to give electricity to that village in this 12th Five Year Plan only. The cost estimation for that comes around Nu 5.503 M. So within this plan only, we will try to bring every household on the grid,” Lyonpo added.
The Bhutan 2020 Vision Document targeted to provide electricity for all by 2020 in the 10th Five Year Plan. For that, a mini hydropower project with a cost estimate of Nu 662.93 M in Lunana was slated to begin from May this year as per the Detail Project Report work plan. The ministry looking for external assistance, and Lyonpo said the Republic of Korea Official Development Assistance is currently reviewing the Detail Project Report work plan.
However, Lyonpo said if the funding fails, then the Gross National Happiness Commission will step in and the project will be completed anyhow.
Lyonpo added that it will take around two years to complete the project. Today, as per the Gasa’s Member of Parliament for the National Council, around 552 tonnes of wood are being used due to unreliable electrification in the gewog.
Samten Dolkar/Phub Gyem
