In brief
Last week’s flash floods battered Nepal, killing over 1,300 people and knocking out more than 10% of its electricity supply. Almost all power comes from hydropower—nearly $200m a year in exports—yet the fragile glaciers and mountains feeding the dams are melting faster due to climate change. The disaster has forced the government to rethink the nation’s heavy reliance on mountain‑based plants and explore solar, wind and reservoir options. Experts warn that without a diversified grid the country could face future shocks that cripple power and livelihoods.
Hydropower is the lifeline of Nepal’s electricity grid – almost 100% of the nation’s power comes from mountain rivers. It even brings in a tidy $200 million a year from exports to India and Bangladesh.
But last Saturday’s flash floods ripped through the Trishuli River basin, killing more than 1,300 people and leaving thousands still missing. The deluge destroyed whole villages, flattened towns, and cracked 12 hydro plants, taking over 10% of Nepal’s total generation capacity. State‑owned operators cannot yet guarantee that damaged plants will be back online.
Greenhouse‑gas‑free drought‑a‑to‑don’t‑need‑a‑coal? Nepal has leaned hard on its fast‑flowing mountain streams to build power. Yet the glacier‑filled hills that feed these dams are shrinking at a pace 50% faster than the world average. Climate‑watchers, international lenders, and Nepal’s own officials are now questioning whether a single‑fuel strategy is a recipe for disaster.
Some call for diversifying: solar energy could generate up to ten times more power than hydropower, according to a German aid agency, while wind farms would add resilience to the grid. Others insist the focus stays on hydropower, arguing that the Himalayas still give Nepal an unmatched advantage over its neighbours.
The UAE all donors point out that hydropower projects have been built in risky spots without rigorous climate‑impact checks. Even heavy‑investment projects like Upper Trishuli-1, valued at $647 million, suffered heavy losses. Insurance payouts have already surpassed $40 million for damaged private plants.
Beyond infrastructure, the flood showed the international nature of climate risk. “We cannot face these risks alone,” says Manjeet Dhakal, a UN climate delegate. Nepal must collaborate on data sharing and early‑warning systems with neighbours like India and China.
Key takeaway: Nepal’s hydropower burst like a frayed rope—government, investors and climate science now must work together to build a more balanced, safer energy future.
