A prominent engineer and hydropower entrepreneur, Mithun Poudel, has announced his candidacy for the post of Secretary General of the Independent Power Producers’ Association Nepal (IPPAN). The IPPAN election is scheduled to take place on June 12.
Poudel is regarded as one of the most experienced candidates in the field. Born in 1985 in Syangja, he earned a degree in Civil Engineering from Purba Anchal Engineering Campus in Dharan and completed a master’s degree in Infrastructure Planning and Construction Management from Pulchowk Engineering Campus.
He further established himself as a researcher through his master’s thesis, “Intercity Transport Investment Decision in Developing Countries: A Case of Kathmandu-Tarai Linkage in Nepal.”
Poudel believes IPPAN needs a dedicated research and data collection mechanism to support policy, regulatory, and institutional reforms in the energy sector. “Facts should come before opinions. Only after analyzing data and drawing conclusions should we move toward policy debates,” he said.
Stating that IPPAN has yet to build a strong influence in energy sector policy discussions, Poudel said the organization should evolve into a platform for sharing knowledge and experiences gained from energy production projects.
He noted that the private sector has already developed around 80 to 85 percent of Nepal’s hydropower projects, demonstrating substantial capacity and expertise. However, he argued that this experience has not been utilized in an organized and strategic manner. According to him, the sector now requires leadership capable of transforming the challenges faced by energy entrepreneurs into opportunities for growth and inspiration.
“IPPAN has not been able to recognize its own strength. Despite having the capacity to guide and support the state, we are still knocking on the government’s door for assistance,” Poudel said. He emphasized that IPPAN should establish itself as a partner organization to the government rather than merely a stakeholder body. He also stressed the need for fact-based studies on energy policy formulation, legal amendments, regulatory structures, and good governance to build a stronger institutional perspective.
Poudel was elected as the seventh member of the IPPAN executive committee in the 2023 election. During his three-year tenure, he contributed to policy reforms, disaster management coordination, strengthening public-private partnerships, and attracting foreign investment. He also served as coordinator of IPPAN’s Energy Bulletin Publication Committee and represented IPPAN in the Disaster Preparedness and Management Committee to support risk reduction in the energy sector.
In addition, he has played a role in promoting innovative technologies and alternative energy by leading coordination and facilitation efforts between IPPAN and Kathmandu University’s Green Hydrogen Laboratory.
Alongside his academic achievements, Poudel’s professional experience has strengthened his candidacy. He joined the 5 MW Ruru Hydropower Project in Gulmi in 2009. He later worked as a resident engineer at the 6 MW Pikhuwa Khola Hydropower Project in Bhojpur and as a design engineer at Seapad Consultancy in Lalitpur. Drawing on this experience, he entered entrepreneurship in 2014.
Poudel became manager of the 990 kW Selang Khola Hydropower Project in Salma and was appointed managing director in 2016. After years of dedication and hard work, he became chairperson of the project in 2020. The project began commercial electricity production in 2024.
