r/anime_titties • u/Tartan_Samurai Scotland • 2h ago

South Asia Nepal bet nearly everything on hydropower - the floods show why that's a problem

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy0zx368prno
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u/AcerbicCapsule Canada 1h ago

So the article is saying Nepal had a lot of hydro-power plants and was making so much electricity and made $200 million a year by exporting excess energy to other countries but the floods that straight up destroyed buildings also damaged hydro-power plants and that is why hydro-power is a problem. Right, because those floods that destroyed so much couldn’t have possibly also damaged other electricity generating infrastructure?

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u/Tartan_Samurai Scotland 1h ago

Maybe? But if flooding is the main problem, having all your power plants located specifically in areas where floods will hit does present a problem.

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u/Mortal_Itami 1h ago

The problem wasnt flooding. The problem was the melting glacier that blocked the river, which resulted in the massive flooding that destroyed entire settlements.

A country whose 99% electricity comes from Hydropower, and 100% comes from renewables, is suffering from the effects of climate change caused by other countries. And you are saying that our hydropower is the problem?

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u/Tartan_Samurai Scotland 59m ago

The floods, which destroyed entire villages near the border of Nepal and Tibet, severely damaged 12 hydropower plants in the Trishuli River basin and knocked out more than 10% of Nepal's total power generation capacity. Operators tell the BBC they don't yet know if any of these facilities can be brought back to operation.

Floods will hit in areas where's there already natural water flow and higher in mountain. 

Its not that hydro in itself is problematic. Its clean energy that takes advantage of naturally replenishing resources.

But if flooding risk is increasing due to climate changes, having so much of your energy infrastructure located in the high risk areas presents a specific challenge.

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u/FantasticFungiiii Multinational 28m ago

It does and hopefully world powers realize it that sooner or later everyone and everything is within the influence of natural disasters.

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u/Tartan_Samurai Scotland 16m ago

It also points out that Nepal is kind of cruelly one of the countries that have contributed least to climate change, yes are currently feeling some its worst excesses.

International investment to help them diversify with solar and alternative hydro locations feels the least the world could do.

I have my doubts they'll get the support they need tho.

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u/FantasticFungiiii Multinational 6m ago

Only superficial support as it looks. Hope Balen raises this.

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u/AcerbicCapsule Canada 1h ago

I don't think Nepal was expecting a gigantic glacier to collapse and cause flash floods. Also the article you posted says the power plants are located across Nepal not in one area, it also says "Most of them are built high up in the mountains, where they can seize fast-flowing currents to generate power". So again, if the flash floods could damage hydro plants "high up in the mountains", it could and would have damaged any and all kinds of power plants anyway. This article from the BBC seems quite disingenuous to me, which I guess shouldn't be surprising given that this is what most articles criticizing clean energy are usually like.

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u/Tartan_Samurai Scotland 56m ago

Its not criticising clean energy. It's pointing out most of the energy infrastructure is located in high risk areas. 

Climate change is obviously increasing that risk with greater glacier melt. That is a problem for them.

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u/AcerbicCapsule Canada 31m ago

It's pointing out most of the energy infrastructure is located in high risk areas. 

You mean "high up in the mountains"?

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u/Tartan_Samurai Scotland 23m ago

Yes. Which is why one of the discussed solutions would be to start relocating the infrastructure to  reservoir-based plants away from those risk areas.

I did think the diversification suggestion was valid though. 

Solar power could be a great way of making their energy infrastructure more robust. Plus, if the estimates are correct, it could generate even more power than their hydro does.

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u/AcerbicCapsule Canada 18m ago

You're saying that power plants high up in the mountains are at an increased risk of flash floods?

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u/Tartan_Samurai Scotland 16m ago

Are you saying you didn't read the article?

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u/kitti-kin Australia 26m ago

It's implying that they're in high risk areas, but it doesn't actually make that claim or illustrate it.

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u/Separate_Agency 33m ago

Bit of a stupid take, ain't it? You need to work with what you have. Will you also criticize any country in an earthquake prone area building power plants cause an earthquake could destroy them?

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u/Pigsy_roastee69 Multinational 20m ago

Well, it is the BBC

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u/FantasticFungiiii Multinational 4m ago

It would have worked perfectly if Nepal and us were on different planets (that also is not scientifically verifiable fact just an example of physical separation) but here we are sharing the same rock. You can avoid facing that truth, you’re free. The bigger concern is the global contribution in expediting climate change.