KATHMANDU: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) Managing Director Kulman Ghising has submitted his response to Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation Minister Deepak Khadka regarding the government’s clarification notice.
Following a Cabinet decision last Wednesday, the ministry had asked Ghising to explain why his appointment should not be revoked. In response, Ghising submitted a 16-page clarification on Sunday.
The ministry had accused Ghising of failing to submit the previous fiscal year’s performance report on time. However, he countered that he had achieved high performance ratings in previous years—94.23 in 2021/22 and 98.94 in 2022/23—and had submitted the latest report following past practices. He also pointed out that the agreement did not specify a deadline for submission.
Regarding the government’s question on why he should not be removed for signing an electricity exchange agreement with India, Ghising argued that NEA executives had been signing such agreements since 1992, making the minister’s actions appear biased.
On the issue of failing to implement the ministry’s directive to collect dues based on Time-of-Day (ToD) meters, Ghising stated that the outstanding bills were legally verified, with the court certifying their validity. He also noted that while the NEA had requested permission to cut power to defaulting industries, the regulatory commission had instructed against doing so.
Addressing the final question about his alleged failure to fulfill his duties, Ghising dismissed the accusation as subjective. He insisted that he had consistently performed his responsibilities with integrity and called the entire clarification process prejudiced and unjust.
The Energy Ministry has repeatedly sought explanations from Ghising, issuing notices on multiple occasions since October 2024. Minister Khadka has publicly stated that the government will decide on Ghising’s fate after reviewing his latest response. The next steps in the government’s action against him remain to be seen.
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