KATHMANDU, March 30 (Xinhua) -- The proposed plan of the Nepali government to generate 10,000 megawatts of electricity in 10 years time is estimated to cost around 20 billion Nepali rupees (around 250 million U.S. dollars), local newspaper The Rising Nepal reported on Monday.

    The Water Resource Development Plan Working Committee drafted are port and submitted its suggestions at a time when investment management is regarded as the main challenge in the development of hydropower in the country.

    The report has prepared a detailed framework for the generation of 10,781 megawatts (MW) of electricity in 10 years and potential projects, project starting date, completion date, investment and potential investing sectors, domestic consumption and possibility of export.

    The committee has suggested the government to generate resources needed to completing the projects. According to the report, it has been recommended to accumulate 7.12 billion Nepali rupees (around 89 million U.S. dollars) from the international investors, 4.29 billion rupees (around 54 million U.S. dollars) from the Nepal government and Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) and 3.58 billion rupees (round 45 million U.S. dollars) from the private sector including national banks and financial institutions.

    Presently, the share distribution of the NEA and private sector is 75 percent and 25 percent respectively. In 2020, the tentative ownership share will be: about 28 percent with the international private sector, 25 percent with the national public-private partnership, 17 percent with the national private sector and 23 percent with the government.

    The plan would aim at involving more local residents to construct the projects.

    Similarly, the working committee has asked the government to motivate the Non-Residential Nepalese to invest in the energy sector.

    The working committee has suggested to reorganize the existing Ministry for Water Resources into Water and Energy Ministry and restructure Water and Power Commission as Water and Energy Commission.

    The committed has also asked to strengthen the Department of Electricity Development and reform the structure of the Nepal Electricity Authority.