Energy Minister Urges Public to Reduce Unnecessary Electricity Consumption

Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Minister Biraj Bhakta Shrestha has urged consumers to use electricity efficiently, saying studies have found that unused appliances left on standby or chargers plugged in can account for 5% to 20% of total electricity consumption.

Shrestha described this unnecessary consumption as “energy vampire” or “phantom energy” and said even small amounts of wastage across Nepal’s 6–6.5 million electricity consumers could place significant additional loads on transformers and the power supply system.

He urged households to switch off unused lights and appliances and unplug chargers when they are not needed. He also called on government offices at the local, provincial and federal levels to turn off unnecessary electrical equipment after office hours.

The minister said the need for efficient electricity use has become more important as electricity demand rises and recent floods have caused significant damage to the energy sector. He urged the public to be particularly mindful of electricity consumption during the upcoming winter season.