Posted on June, 21 2007

Kathmandu, Nepal – WWF has awarded a grant to Nepal's Kangchenjunga Conservation Area Management Council (KCAMC) to develop a micro-hydro project for the remote Himalayan region. The project will promote renewable energy sources, which will benefit people's livelihoods and conservation in the area.

The US$169,000 grant was signed by Anil Manandhar, Country Representative of WWF Nepal, and Tseten Dandu Sherpa, Chairperson of KCAMC. In a landmark decision, the government of Nepal last year handed over the Kangchenjunga Conservation Area for management by the KCAMC.

As many in this rural part of Nepal are unable to afford expensive alternative energy technologies, such as back-boilers and solar sets, the project is expected to produce 35 kW of electricity, which in turn will light up 77 households in the mountain villages of Ghunsa and Phale.

The local community is contributing nearly US$16,000, which includes labour and local transportation costs.

The project will run from July 2007 to June 2008.