WECS Assessment of Hydropower Potential of Nepal (2019)
- Page status
- Working page
- Updated
- 2026-04-14
Summary
The revised national hydropower potential assessment. Supersedes the older 83,000 MW theoretical figure with updated screening. Provides basin-level gross and techno-economic potential breakdowns.
Key Data Points
- Revised gross potential: 72,544 MW (down from legacy 83,500 MW)
- Techno-economic potential: 32,680 MW
- Basin distribution of gross potential:
- Koshi Basin: 27,805 MW
- Karnali Basin: 20,385 MW
- Gandaki Basin: 19,803 MW
- All remaining basins: ~4,551 MW
- ~94% of gross potential is in the three major Himalayan basins
Limitations
- Screening opacity: Full Multi-Criteria Analysis methodology and sensitivity parameters are not transparent in the public version.
- Gross vs techno-economic: The 72,544 MW gross potential is a theoretical ceiling; the 32,680 MW techno-economic potential is the more honest planning baseline.
- Legacy figure persistence: The older 83,000 MW figure remains politically prominent despite this revision.
- Exclusions: Does not account for climate-adjusted hydrology, sediment risk, or buildability constraints that would reduce realisable potential below techno-economic estimates.
Relevance to Project
The definitive source for Hydropower Potential Categories. Only surfaced the revised 72,544 MW figure — public summaries used the legacy 83,000 MW. The basin concentration data (94% in three basins) is central to the strategic argument.