This session will explore the challenges and opportunities in Nepal's energy infrastructure, focusing on energy connectivity and transmission lines. Efficient and reliable transmission systems are essential for expanding energy capacity, harnessing renewable resources, and ensuring equitable distribution across the country.

Panelists will address the technical, financial, and policy challenges of integrating renewable sources like hydropower, solar, and wind into the national grid. They will discuss the crucial role of transmission lines in facilitating energy trade with India and Bangladesh, as well as the significance of public-private partnerships, international donor support, and innovative financing for system upgrades.

The conversation will also cover government policies impacting transmission line development and their role in advancing Nepal’s clean energy transition. Finally, the session will identify research gaps for academic contribution and share lessons from successful transmission projects in Nepal and abroad.

Panelists:
Mr. Khadga Bista- Millennium Challenge Account Nepal
Ms. Resha Piya, Infrastructure Advisor- Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Mr. Ram Krishna Khatiwada - former CEO, Nepal Infrastructure Bank Ltd.
Dr. Netra Gyawali, Rastriya Prasaran Grid Company Limited

Moderator: Mr. Abiral Khatri, Energy Transition Lead UR Field Lab, Consultant- Stimson Centre

About the Series
The Energy Transition and Climate Resilience Webinar Series is a collaboration between the University of Michigan's Energy Transition Research Team and the UR Field Lab's Energy Transition and Climate Finance working group. Featuring guest experts, the series shares insights on energy transition.

Following the UR Field Lab's 14 sessions in Kathmandu (May-June 2024), which brought together officials, private sector leaders, and community representatives to discuss clean energy in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region, this series continues the dialogue on sustainable energy.

Initial sessions will focus on Nepal’s energy transition, addressing its unique challenges and opportunities. We will explore the supply side (energy connectivity and transmission lines) and the demand side (clean cooking solutions), setting the stage for future discussions on sustainable energy solutions in Nepal.