Kulman Ghising, Nepal’s Power Reformer, Takes Charge as Energy Minister
Celebrated for ending Nepal’s load-shedding crisis, Kulman Ghising has now assumed the role of Energy Minister amid political and economic uncertainty.
Kulman Ghising, widely credited for ending Nepal’s decades-long load-shedding crisis, has officially assumed office as the country’s new Energy Minister. Ghising, who first rose to prominence nearly eight years ago as the chief of the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), was the central figure behind Nepal’s transformation into a load-shedding-free nation.
Under his leadership, urban areas were declared free from daily power cuts during the 2016 Tihar festival, and by April 2018, the entire country had been freed from chronic electricity outages that had plagued the economy and households for more than 15 years.
Ghising now returns to public office at a time when Nepal faces not only political turbulence but also urgent energy sector challenges, including rising demand, export ambitions, and disputes over tariffs.
His past tenure was not without controversy. In 2021, during Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s leadership, Ghising was reappointed as NEA’s chief, but soon clashed with the KP Oli-led government and then-Energy Minister Deepak Khadka. The conflict centered on Ghising’s move to cut off power supply to industries that had failed to pay dues on dedicated and trunk power lines. Despite industrial pressure and political pushback, Ghising’s enforcement was firm, a stance that ultimately cost him his position.
Observers say his elevation to the ministerial role signals a return of technocratic leadership in Nepal’s energy policy. The move comes as the country seeks to balance domestic energy stability with export opportunities to India and beyond, while also addressing financial discipline in the power sector.