The Independent Power Producers’ Association, Nepal has called on the international community, including Canada, for investment, technology transfer and technical collaboration in developing reservoir hydropower projects in Nepal. According to Banking News, IPPAN chairman Mohan Kumar Dangi made the call while speaking at the annual conference 2026 and Trade Show of the Canada Dam Association, where he is in Canada to participate in the event.
He said Canada’s experience in dam engineering, reservoir projects, hydropower technology and climate-resilient infrastructure development would be useful for Nepal, and therefore collaboration could be pursued.
Nepal reservoir hydropower
Chairman Dangi discussed major projects that hold potential for investment and international collaboration. He mentioned Tamor Reservoir at 762 MW, Dudhkoshi Reservoir at 670 MW, Budhi Gandaki Reservoir at 1,200 MW and Upper Arun at 1,060 MW as important projects, and said international partnership is necessary in investment, project finance management, engineering, construction, dam safety, energy storage and the use of modern technology in these projects and other projects in various stages of development.
Dangi noted that there is immense potential for hydropower development in Nepal, and that there is a great opportunity for collaboration between Nepal and Canada in building safe, sustainable and climate-change-resilient hydropower projects.
Since Nepal can offer sufficient hydropower potential and an expanding energy market, he said there is an opportunity for a long-term and mutually beneficial partnership for both countries. Canada’s experience would be important for expanding hydropower generation capacity, developing large reservoir projects, making dam safety effective and increasing the use of modern technology.
The scale of the opportunity
IPPAN, an umbrella organisation of private energy producers established in 2001, has been continuously working for the promotion of private investment and hydropower development in Nepal’s energy sector. Dangi said that after private sector participation in the hydropower sector began in 1999, there has been a significant increase in Nepal’s electricity generation capacity. Total installed capacity has reached about 4.3 gigawatts, of which more than 80 percent is contributed by projects developed by the private sector.
Nepal’s hydropower potential is vast. According to an assessment made by the Secretariat of the Water and Energy Commission in 2019 and various other studies, Nepal has a technical potential of generating more than 200 gigawatts. Through the development of run-of-river, peaking run-of-river, reservoir and pumped storage projects, Nepal can become a major centre of clean and green energy in South Asia.
The Government of Nepal has set an ambitious target of increasing installed generation capacity to 30 thousand megawatts by 2035, which requires developing more than an additional 24 thousand megawatts from the current capacity, in which private sector investment will be important.
Along with generation, transmission and cross-border electricity trade infrastructure, Nepal aims to export up to 15 thousand megawatts of electricity to neighbouring countries. Dangi also noted that more than 98 percent of Nepal’s population has access to electricity, and that hydropower has been contributing to economic growth, employment generation, improving quality of life and expanding clean energy trade.
At the program, Anand Chaudhary, Coordinator of IPPAN’s International Relations and Program Management Committee, is scheduled to give a presentation on Nepal’s hydropower potential, important lessons learned from the recent Bhote Koshi flood and opportunities for international collaboration.
Dangi praised the conference, organised under the main theme Tides of Change, saying such international platforms play an important role in the exchange of knowledge, experience and technology, and that international cooperation is necessary for dam safety, climate resilience and sustainable hydropower development.
Source: Banking News, October 2026.
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