Ncell outsources solar power, ensures access to energy and mobile connectivity

Ncell has joined hands in an innovative collaboration to promote off-grid power solutions, making it possible for communities out of national electricity grid in Khotang and Udaypur to avail both energy and telecom services.

For this collaboration, Ncell has entered into an agreement with Gham Power Pvt. Ltd. As per the agreement, Ncell will take anchor load of solar power generated by three micro-grids in Okhaldhunga and Khotang district, thereby making its off-grid systems commercially viable. As the microgrids also have surplus capacity, the collaboration contributes to off-grid electrification of communities, creating new economic opportunities and social benefits for the people.

Gham Power Micro-Grids

The solar micro-grids are built by Gham Power with financial support from Asian Development Bank Energy for All Program, other technical and financial assistance from the DOEN Foundation and NMB Bank in collaboration with Alternative Energy Promotion Centre. GSM Association, in its bid to support the installation of microgrids to provide energy to mobile towers, household, and businesses, had also provided ‘Mobile for Development (M4D) Utilities Innovations Grant’ to Gham Power as seed money last year.

Ncell has installed mobile towers in Banpala of Chyasimtar VDC, Khotang and Ghurmi of Lekhani VDC in Udaypur and commenced services. This has enabled people in 31 VDCs of Khotang and Udaypur districts to get access to mobile services.

The collaboration marks a distinct departure in the way Ncell was handling off-grid base transceiver stations (BTS). So far, the company has been expanding its service to areas out of national grid by building its own solar power. As of now, 5.77% of Ncell sites operates solely on solar, while additional 8.5% have a solar backup sites with hybrid solutions.