A flood triggered by a glacial mountain collapse on the China-Nepal border killed more than 1,400 people, left thousands missing and knocked 410 MW—about 10% of Nepal's generation capacity—off the grid. Authorities suspended electricity exports.
More than 90% of Nepal's electricity comes from hydropower, whose output rose more than fourfold in a decade to about 4,120 MW, according to government figures. Seven projects were directly hit, generation stopped at others, and six projects under construction totaling 508 MW were damaged. Government assessments found the energy sector accounted for about half of the infrastructure damage.
World Weather Attribution said the August rock-and-ice collapse was shaped by long-term warming, glacier retreat and geological instability. The World Bank said Nepal needs a hydropower system able to anticipate, absorb and recover from Himalayan hazards. IPPAN's Uttam Bhlon Lama urged moving powerhouses farther from riverbeds and improving evacuation plans; a 2024 GIZ report said well-planned solar additions could make the system more robust.
