Last September, torrential rains tore through Nepal’s largest power plant, causing over $13m in damage. Six months later, the 456 MW Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project – once a symbol of national energy pride – is still not fully operational, while power shortages have returned across much of the country.
This is not an isolated failure. As floods, landslides and unpredictable rainfall become more frequent in the Himalayas, experts say Nepal’s clean energy transition – almost entirely dependent on hydropower – is dangerously exposed to the very climate risks it hopes to solve.
