Rup Narayan Adhikari

I am a Bhutanese national born at Salami, Tsirang, Bhutan. I studied electrical engineering under Royal Government of Bhutan (RGoB) and the Government of India (GoI) scholarship and completed Bachelor’s degree (BSEE) from Regional Institute of Technology (now NIT), Jamshedpur, India in Dec.1987. I also acquired a master’s (MSc.) degree in Environmental Science in 2007 with specialization in Environmental Planning and Management from UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education, Delft, Netherlands with funding from Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program. I am also a certified Arbitrator of Construction Development Board (CDB), Ministry of Communication, RGoB for arbitration of Construction Industry / Contract Management issues in Bhutan and is an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, London. Further, I have undergone and completed various short-term trainings and training-workshops / conferences on Power system planning, analysis & Load-flow study, energy / renewable energy, environment, power supply and demand management / options / issues, energy efficiency, energy auditing, solar PV, solar thermal and on general management skills. I too have computer utilization skills and experiences to work on Microsoft office like words, excel & power points and have fair knowledge on GIS/CAD software uses and operation.

I started my professional career in 1988 by joining the RGoB’s Civil Service in the erstwhile Department of Power (DoP) under the then Ministry of Trade & Industry (the current Ministry of Economic Affairs) as Technical Planning Engineer, where I worked extensively until May 1990 in planning, design, cost estimation of electricity generation, transmission & distribution system for urban & rural electrification projects and monitoring/supervision/evaluation of such projects performances. Also worked in the DoP management committee to review & update technical guidelines, strategies, specification and national power/energy policy regulation including electricity tariff structures and energy efficiency options. Further, involved in renewable energy program development and worked as DoP counterpart / focal person/coordinator for international donors and consulting companies to coordinate various renewable energy programs covering solar PV, micro/mini/small hydropower, wind and biomass/biogas projects proposals including project concept formulation, site investigations, project selection, and survey & engineering design studies.

In May 1990, I was entrusted with the responsibility of Executive Engineer to Head the Rural Energy Division (current Department of Renewable Energy-DRE) since then till June 1997, where I was responsible for national renewable energy electrification programs/projects/policy proposal formulation by conducting needs assessment surveys for rural development of the country, presentation of the viable projects to DoP management and other stakeholders & donor agencies for implementation approval and funding options; bidding documents preparation and oversee the resource mobilization, overall construction management & supervision including contract management and financial control of the approved projects. Also, established sustainable O&M system with required technical capacity development after identifying capacity gaps for the constructed projects and carried out the running and maintenance satisfactorily. Some of my specific works/projects achievements during the period are:

1. Implemented from the inception/investigation stages to engineering design & supervised the construction activities of a) three 200 KW each mini hydropower JICA funded projects at Dagana, Tsirang and Zhemgang districts and b) Austrian Government funded 2.2 MW Rangjung hydropower project in Trashigang, along with their respective infra-structures like approach roads and power evacuation sub-transmission / distribution systems; internal/external stakeholders coordination and management, progress reporting testing and commissioning.
2. Implemented the UNDP/OPEC funded ‘Rural Energy Development Project’ and formulated “Integrated Energy Action Plan” for necessary socio-economic & energy development initiatives(baseline recommendations) and report preparation after conducting a social impact & energy needs assessment study for rural areas around the Rangjung hydropower station covering seven geogs(blocks) of Trashigang and Trashiyangtse districts by involving 30 Sherubtse college students and 2 lecturers with necessary trainings for field survey & data collection.
3. Successfully managed the O&M of 10 micro hydropower plants with capacities ranging from 20 KW to 70 KW, constructed during 1986-87 under Japanese Grant for rural villages power supply. Also provided awareness on safe & efficient utilization of electricity to the rural consumers, and carried out the demand-side management to cater electricity to all the isolated consumers through proper load management and by introducing energy efficient lighting system-eg.CFLs, for end-users.
4. Many solar PV home-lighting systems were designed & distributed/installed for rural household lighting among which more than 1000 solar PV lighting sets were installed as pilot project in remote institution like health units, schools, religious centers, etc. and maintained as a research project satisfactorily.
5. Headed the Science & Technology(S&T) Unit and coordinated the S&T activities with other government departments and international agencies dealing with research oriented pilot programs related to biomass/biogas, solar PV, solar water heating system, small hydropower and wind energy.

In July 1997, I was transferred to Head the newly established “Power Project Office” at Lhuentse district, Eastern Bhutan as Project Officer and was responsible for planning, implementation/execution and overall management including monitoring & control of financial operation for all power related projects & activities in power starved Lhuentse District. Some major responsibilities included: a)establishment and setting-up of a new power office in Lhuentse District and organized staff structure accordingly for execution of the planned programs and projects in the district; b)survey, design, estimation, bidding document preparation and working out execution strategy for departmentally executing the Netherlands funded Kilung/Rongchhu 200 KW (under Joint Implementation modalities) and coordination of Govt. of India (GoI)-funded Gangzur-120KW Hydropower Projects along with their related infrastructures like approach roads, power sub-transmission & distribution network for power evacuation, coordination & survey for the implementation of future long-term power connection initiatives to Lhuentse district with a proposed 132 kV transmission line from Kurichhu hydropower project.

With ten years of work experience in the RGoB’s power sector, I switched to the private sector and initially worked as a Freelance Consultant in association with various clients including government agencies, international consulting firms and donor agencies like: Tata-Consulting Engineers-India, ETC-Netherlands, ENTEC-Switzerland, SwedPower International AB-Sweden, UNDP-GEF and UNIDO in different capacities such as Electrical/Energy Consultant, Team Leader, Solar Energy Expert, Transmission/Distribution line Specialist, etc. till Feb. 2002. Major consultancy activities covered: preparation of DoP Rural Electrification (RE) 9th Five Year Plan, feasibility studies of nine micro/mini hydropower projects across Bhutan including environmental studies, socio-economic & impact studies, coordination / supervision / monitoring of field surveys & formulation of social & energy needs baselines for sustainable renewable energy projects proposals for rural development and removal of barriers for renewable energy projects development.

In the beginning of 2002, a consultancy firm “Norlha Associates” was established based in Thimphu and I was the co-founder of this firm and since then till July 2014, I was in the consultancy business through the “Norlha Associates” in the capacity of a Lead Associate/Co-partner cum Energy/Power & Environment Specialist with advisory responsibilities and sharing lead roles with the co-partner including the rotational Managing Associate position every alternate year. Some of the other major responsibilities included: management of the firm to execute requisite services under consultancy contracts and contracts management in various fields including planning, investigation, engineering design of projects related to small hydropower, energy/renewable energy, energy efficiency, rural electrification plan (9FYP, 10FYP, Nation-wide RE Master Plan and Integrated Energy Master Plan for Bhutan were prepared under my supervision and control of local consultants’ team (in association with international consulting companies), cost estimation & preparation of bid documents / offers, impact studies and environmental assessment studies. I also carried out various consultancy works holding different project-wise specific positions like: Team Leader, Environment / EIA Specialist, Project Coordinator, Country Expert for SAARC Energy Centre, Power Supply Specialist, Power Sector Survey Manager, Energy Specialist, etc. during the period in cooperation with various clients including international consulting firms, donor agencies, government department and corporations such as: NEWJEC Inc.-Japan (E7 Group- involved for Chendebji 70 KW Hydropower Feasibility Study Project formulation), SMEC-Australia (involved as Team Leader for formulation of national-wide ADB-Rural Electrification 9FYP project proposal), Royal Bhutan Institute of Technology-CST (DANIDA Project on Training Impact Study formulation), Royal Haskoning-Netherlands (involved as Power Supply Specialist for ADB TA 4019-BHU on Industrial Estate & Dry-port Development Project in and around Phuentsholing / Pasakha area ), Nippon Koei Company Ltd.-Japan (engaged as National Team Leader in JICA funded - Rural Electrification, Dzongkhag-wise RE Master Plan Study and Off-grid Renewable Energy Projects formulation), TERI-India (involved as a local consultant in the GoI funded- Bhutan nation-wide Integrated Energy Master Plan Study Project formulation), SAARC Energy Centre-Islamabad (engaged as Country Expert for Report preparation on Renewable Energy Success/Failure in Bhutan, and study of Hydropower connection prospects to the anticipated SAARC Power Grid), Bhutan Power Corporation Ltd.-(carried-out as a Team Leader cum Environment Specialist, successfully to the satisfaction of the client – the Feasibility Study of 20 MW Hydropower Project including Environmental Impact Assessment and Environmental Management Plan formulation). Since Sept.2013 to July 2014, I was engaged by ADB, Manila in ADB Regional TA-8276 as Energy Efficiency Specialist (Technical) & formulated Energy Efficiency Policy guidelines (baselines) for Bhutan where I reviewed & developed a baseline scenario for energy supply and consumption, promising energy efficiency potential, identification of possible energy efficiency interventions with prioritization and implementation strategies and recommendations for policy guidance linking with the relevant existing policies, regulations, standards, and best practices in the neighboring countries.

Presently, I am working as Energy Specialist under Energy+ Program since Sep 01, 2014 with Ernst & Young LLP in ADB TA 8630 BHU: F-003/Package III: Energy Efficiency Project - Bhutan to formulate the National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Policy following detailed energy audit of four sectors (Transport, Buildings, Industry, Equipment/ Appliances) and review of the existing policy & energy performance. Also I am engaged on part time basis with Fichtner-Germany since Aug.2014 as Renewable Energy Specialist for ADB TA 47275-001 BHU: Promoting Clean Energy Development in Bhutan (under Energy+ Program) to formulate National Renewable Energy Master Plan for Bhutan.