Local Government to Issue Licenses for Hydropower Projects

Hydropower projects with less than one megawatt capacity can soon get survey licenses from local government instead from the Ministry of Energy.

However, to get the license, the projects must obtain a technical clearance from the Department of Electricity Development. This clearance will be needed until policies and criteria for electricity generation are established.

Presently, the survey licenses are issued by the Department under the Ministry of Energy at the central government. However, according to a letter from the Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development to the Department, local government have been authorized to issue the licenses.

Under the Local Level Governance Act, local governments have been given the authority over hydropower projects below one megawatt.