Bhutan Development National Assembly Electricity to villages Rural electrification Bhutan Videos

With less than 40 percent of the country currently receiving power, lighting up rural Bhutan was intensely debated at the National Assembly on July 5, 2004.

The Trongsa chimi submitted that a shortage of electricity in the dzongkhag was causing difficulties for both domestic and economic activities. "With the Mangdechhu hydroelectric project deferred the government should speed up the power supply from Kurichhu through Tingtibi," he said.

The Bumthang chimi added that Bumthang also faced a constant shortage of electricity from the Chumme mini hydel. The shortage was acute in winter with the supply averaging about 15 days a month. "The 80th session of the National Assembly endorsed Bumthang's request for better supply and was slated for 2003-2004 but it has still not started," he said. "We request the government to expedite work on the transmission line from Tingtibi to Bumthang and Trongsa."

Responding to the submissions, the Trade and Industries minister, Lyonpo Yeshey Zimba, said that the government had provided diesel-powered generators to the Bumthang Dzong to ease the shortage in the valley but not anywhere else because of the high maintenance cost. The Mangdechhu project was still under discussion with the Indian government but electricity from the Kurichhu had reached Tingtibi in Zhemgang from where it would be transmitted to Bumthang and Trongsa starting this year. About 516 households in Bumthang and 573 households in Trongsa would be electrified in the current Plan.

The Punakha chimi submitted that, in keeping with the resolution of the 81st session the power authorities were to do a feasibility study of supplying power to the uncovered areas of Kapatasa, Geonshari geog and Gasa dzongkhag. "We request for a presentation of the report to bring power to these areas," said the chimi. Lyonpo Yeshey Zimba said that, after the feasibility studies, the government had approved the electrification of 22 households in Gasa and Punakha. The materials required for the electrification had been procured. But the electrification of 98 households in Goenshari had not been included in the current Plan because of the shortage of funds, he said.

The Mongar chimi submitted that the commissioning of the Kurichhu project in Gyalpoizhing had boosted socio development activities in the dzongkhags and greatly improved the overall standard of living of the people but there were still pockets of remote areas that did not have electricity.

The Trashiyangste chimi said that some geogs had everything while others had nothing. Bomdeling, Tetsho and Yalang geogs had no roads or farm roads and these vital infrastructure were also not included in the current Plan. "Such unequal development leads to rural-urban migration," said the chimi. "These geogs should at least have electricity."

The Samtse chimi suggested that electrification of villages be done depending on the population of the area. "Between Phuentsholing and Tegola Woche, most farmers rely on the forest for their livelihood which leads to deforestation and these could contribute to landslides and flooding," he said. He requested that Dorokha dungkhag in Samtse be included for electrification in the next Plan. Micro hydel projects or solar power in far flung remote geogs where it would very expensive to supply power through transmission lines could be explored, said the Samdrup Jongkhar chimi.

Royal Advisory Councillor, Dasho Adap Passang, questioned the corporatisation of the erstwhile department of power had led to any changes in policies. "Most of the remote places lack electricity because they do not have motor roads," he said. "There are some villages that are closer to roads and still do not have electricity." Lyonpo Yeshy Zimba said that Kurichhu had brought tremendous benefits to Mongar and about 988 households were electrified in Chaskhar, Drepong, Tsakaling, Saling and Ngatshang in the Eighth Plan. Another 1,093 households in Mongar would be electrified in the current Plan through foreign aid. Thangrong, Gongdur, Khenkar and Jurme, which were difficult to access, will be connected in the near future.Lyonpo Yeshey Zimba said that 15,000 households were to be electrified in the current Plan but most of the work done so far had been pending from the last Plan.

The government had a budget to electrify 12,000 households and was in the process of finding funds for the remaining 3,000 households. The terrain and scattered settlements made electricity distribution very expensive in Bhutan said the minister. About Nu 100,000 was spent for electrifying one household. Therefore proposals not related to the Plan could not be carried out. The overall goal was to achieve complete electrification by 2020, he added. Hydropower was a very important source of government revenue and was important for industrial development, said Lyonpo Yeshey Zimba.

The first phase of Basochhu was completed and had started generating power. Kurichuu, recently commissioned, benefitted 10 dzongkhags and Tala, the biggest hydropower project in the country, would be completed by mid-2006. "Great socio-economic growth is envisaged once Tala is commissioned," he said. The minister expressed Bhutan's appreciation to the government of India. Replying to queries from the floor, Lyonpo Yeshey Zimba said that India would never stop buying power from Bhutan because there was a huge power deficit in India that ran into hundreds of thousand of Megawatts. "That is why India has been pumping a large amount of money in Bhutan," he said. "It is a double investment. Bhutan will earn revenue through its supply and India will get the much needed power."

The minister said that Bangladesh was also interested in buying power but supplying power to Bangladesh would be expensive. Meanwhile, the ministry was looking at increasing domestic consumption through new industries. The minister agreed, as pointed out by the Punakha chimi, that some local industries were buying excessive power which they could not fully utilise and could neither be used elsewhere or exported. "The consumption pattern in big industries fluctuates thereby leaving excess power which is, at times, not consumed," said Lyonpo Yeshey Zimba. "But we are planning to charge a tariff on power that big industries take but do not use."

Lyonpo Yeshey Zimba explained that power tariff within the country was kept low to allow industries to develop and compete with others but if lowered further it would incur losses to the government. He informed the Assembly that the ministry would be raising tariff every year at a reasonable rate. "Our donors and development partners in this field will hesitate help if there is no income from hydropower," he said.

Summing up the discussions, the Assembly Speaker said that it was clear how expensive the process of electrification was. At the same time there was the need to be judicious in getting loans from other countries else Bhutan could end up with huge debts. As there was already a plan to electrify the entire country by 2020 there was no point in Assembly members asking for electricity for individual geogs. The Speaker also expressed the appreciation of the government and people to the Indian government for its continued support and generous grants to develop the power sector in Bhutan.

This article was contributed by KUENSEL, Bhutan's National Newspaper 2004

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