About this quiz
50 questions covering every section of the note.
This Lok Sewa practice set has 50 multiple-choice questions (Subject: Geography of Nepal · For: Kharidar, Nayab Subba, Section Officer · Level: Easy). Take the quiz above first; after that, use the study list below to revise every question with its correct answer and a short explanation.
Study list: all 50 questions with answers and explanations
Which was the first hydropower station of Nepal?
- A) Sundarijal
- B) Pharping ✔
- C) Panauti
- D) Trishuli
Why: Pharping Hydropower, built in 1968 BS (1911 AD) during Chandra Shumsher's rule, was Nepal's first hydropower station and one of the first in South Asia.
The capacity of Pharping hydropower was:
- A) 500 kW ✔
- B) 640 kW
- C) 2.4 MW
- D) 60 MW
Why: Pharping had a capacity of only 500 kW, enough at the time to light parts of Kathmandu, mainly palaces and Rana homes.
The second hydropower station of Nepal was:
- A) Sundarijal ✔
- B) Kulekhani
- C) Kaligandaki A
- D) Marsyangdi
Why: Sundarijal (about 640 kW), completed in 1993 BS, was Nepal's second hydropower station, after Pharping.
Panauti hydropower was built with help from:
- A) Soviet Union ✔
- B) India
- C) Japan
- D) China
Why: Panauti Hydropower (about 2.4 MW, Kavre), completed around 2022 BS, was built with help from the Soviet Union.
Which is a storage (reservoir) project?
- A) Kulekhani I ✔
- B) Kaligandaki A
- C) Upper Tamakoshi
- D) Middle Marsyangdi
Why: Kulekhani I (60 MW, Makwanpur) has a large reservoir (Indrasarobar), so it can store water and generate more in the dry season. It is Nepal's only big storage plant in operation.
Kulekhani I is in which district?
- A) Makwanpur ✔
- B) Dolakha
- C) Syangja
- D) Lamjung
Why: Kulekhani I and its reservoir, Indrasarobar, are in Makwanpur district, south-west of Kathmandu.
What is the capacity of Kaligandaki A?
- A) 60 MW
- B) 144 MW ✔
- C) 456 MW
- D) 900 MW
Why: Kaligandaki A in Syangja has a capacity of 144 MW. It was the largest plant in Nepal until Upper Tamakoshi was completed.
Which is the largest completed hydropower project in Nepal?
- A) Kaligandaki A
- B) Upper Tamakoshi ✔
- C) Kulekhani I
- D) Middle Marsyangdi
Why: Upper Tamakoshi (456 MW) in Dolakha is the largest completed hydropower project in Nepal, fully operating since 2021.
Upper Tamakoshi is in which district?
- A) Dolakha ✔
- B) Sindhupalchok
- C) Ramechhap
- D) Solukhumbu
Why: Upper Tamakoshi is in Dolakha district, on the Tamakoshi river in north-eastern Nepal.
Upper Tamakoshi was mainly built with:
- A) Nepali investment ✔
- B) Chinese grant
- C) Indian loan
- D) World Bank grant
Why: Upper Tamakoshi was built mainly with Nepali investment, from NEA, Nepali financial institutions and public shares, so it is called a national-pride project.
Arun III has a capacity of:
- A) 456 MW
- B) 900 MW ✔
- C) 1,200 MW
- D) 6,480 MW
Why: Arun III in Sankhuwasabha has a capacity of 900 MW. It is being built by SJVN of India, mainly for export of power to India.
Pancheshwar is a joint project between Nepal and:
- A) China
- B) India ✔
- C) Bangladesh
- D) Bhutan
Why: Pancheshwar Multipurpose Project on the Mahakali river is a joint Nepal–India project under the Mahakali Treaty of 1996.
A plant that uses natural river flow with little storage is:
- A) Run-of-river ✔
- B) Storage
- C) Pumped storage
- D) Thermal
Why: A run-of-river plant uses the river's natural flow with little or no storage, so its output rises and falls with the river.
Most hydropower plants in Nepal are of which type?
- A) Storage
- B) Run-of-river ✔
- C) Pumped storage
- D) Nuclear
Why: Most of Nepal's plants are run-of-river, because they are cheaper and quicker to build than storage dams.
Because most plants are run-of-river, Nepal faces power shortage mainly in:
- A) Monsoon
- B) Winter (dry season) ✔
- C) Spring only
- D) Never
Why: Run-of-river plants produce much less in winter when rivers are low, so Nepal faces shortages and imports power in the dry season.
The Nepal Electricity Authority was set up in:
- A) 2022 BS
- B) 2042 BS ✔
- C) 2052 BS
- D) 2062 BS
Why: The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) was set up in 2042 BS (1985 AD) to generate, transmit and distribute electricity across Nepal.
Long load-shedding ended around 2074/75 BS under NEA head:
- A) Kulman Ghising ✔
- B) Hitendra Dev Shakya
- C) Mukesh Raj Kafle
- D) Arjun Karki
Why: Long hours of load-shedding ended around 2074/75 BS under NEA Managing Director Kulman Ghising, through better load management and imports.
Nepal began selling electricity in the Indian power market in:
- A) 2015
- B) 2018
- C) 2021 ✔
- D) 2025
Why: Nepal began selling electricity in India's power exchange market in 2021 (2078 BS), mainly surplus power from the wet season.
Nepal first exported electricity to Bangladesh through India in:
- A) 2020
- B) 2022
- C) 2024 ✔
- D) 2026
Why: Nepal first exported electricity to Bangladesh in 2024, sending power through India's grid under a three-country arrangement.
Budhi Gandaki is a planned project of about:
- A) 144 MW
- B) 456 MW
- C) 1,200 MW ✔
- D) 60 MW
Why: Budhi Gandaki is a planned storage project of about 1,200 MW on the border of Gorkha and Dhading, which would help with dry-season supply.
Pharping hydropower was built during the rule of:
- A) Chandra Shumsher ✔
- B) Juddha Shumsher
- C) Mahendra
- D) Jung Bahadur
Why: Pharping was built in 1968 BS during the rule of Prime Minister Chandra Shumsher, who also brought several other modern facilities to Kathmandu.
Sundarijal hydropower had a capacity of about:
- A) 640 kW ✔
- B) 500 kW
- C) 60 MW
- D) 144 MW
Why: Sundarijal had a capacity of about 640 kW. It was completed in 1993 BS, during Juddha Shumsher's rule.
Panauti hydropower was built with help from:
- A) Soviet Union ✔
- B) China
- C) India
- D) Japan
Why: Panauti was built with Soviet Union help and completed around 2022 BS. It is one of Nepal's early aid-funded plants.
Trishuli hydropower was built with help from:
- A) India ✔
- B) China
- C) Germany
- D) USA
Why: Trishuli Hydropower in Nuwakot was built with Indian assistance in the 1960s.
Sunkoshi hydropower was built with help from:
- A) China ✔
- B) India
- C) Japan
- D) Germany
Why: Sunkoshi Hydropower in Sindhupalchok was built with Chinese assistance.
Marsyangdi hydropower was built with help from:
- A) Germany ✔
- B) China
- C) India
- D) USSR
Why: Marsyangdi Hydropower (69 MW) in Tanahun was built with German assistance, along with other donors.
Kaligandaki A lies in:
- A) Syangja ✔
- B) Myagdi
- C) Kaski
- D) Gorkha
Why: Kaligandaki A is in Syangja district, on the Kali Gandaki river in western Nepal.
Kulekhani I lies in:
- A) Makwanpur ✔
- B) Lalitpur
- C) Sindhuli
- D) Dhading
Why: Kulekhani I lies in Makwanpur district; its reservoir Indrasarobar is also a tourist spot.
Upper Tamakoshi's capacity is:
- A) 456 MW ✔
- B) 900 MW
- C) 144 MW
- D) 60 MW
Why: Upper Tamakoshi's capacity is 456 MW, the largest of any completed project in Nepal.
Arun III is in which district?
- A) Sankhuwasabha ✔
- B) Taplejung
- C) Bhojpur
- D) Dhankuta
Why: Arun III is in Sankhuwasabha district in Koshi Province, on the Arun river.
Arun III is being built by:
- A) SJVN of India ✔
- B) China Three Gorges
- C) NEA alone
- D) World Bank
Why: Arun III is being built by SJVN, an Indian public company, under an agreement with the Government of Nepal.
Budhi Gandaki is a:
- A) Storage project of about 1,200 MW ✔
- B) Run-of-river 50 MW
- C) Solar plant
- D) Wind farm
Why: Budhi Gandaki is a planned storage (reservoir) project of about 1,200 MW, much bigger than most of Nepal's run-of-river plants.
Tanahu Hydropower is a:
- A) Storage project on the Seti ✔
- B) Run-of-river on Koshi
- C) Solar farm
- D) Pumped storage
Why: Tanahu Hydropower is a storage project on the Seti river in Tanahun district, designed to give power in the dry season.
The Koshi Agreement with India was signed in:
- A) 1954 ✔
- B) 1959
- C) 1996
- D) 2000
Why: The Koshi Agreement with India was signed in 1954, for the Koshi barrage, flood control and irrigation.
The Gandak Agreement was signed in:
- A) 1959 ✔
- B) 1954
- C) 1996
- D) 1923
Why: The Gandak Agreement with India was signed in 1959, for irrigation and power from the Gandak (Narayani) river.
The Mahakali Treaty was signed in:
- A) 1996 ✔
- B) 1954
- C) 1959
- D) 2014
Why: The Mahakali Treaty with India was signed in 1996, covering the Sarada barrage, Tanakpur and the Pancheshwar project.
The Electricity Act of Nepal is from:
- A) 2049 BS ✔
- B) 2042 BS
- C) 2072 BS
- D) 2020 BS
Why: The Electricity Act, 2049 BS (1992 AD) governs licensing, generation, transmission and distribution of electricity in Nepal.
Which body regulates electricity tariffs?
- A) Electricity Regulatory Commission ✔
- B) NEA
- C) Department of Mines
- D) NTA
Why: The Electricity Regulatory Commission (ERC) regulates electricity tariffs and the power market. NEA is a utility, not the regulator.
Which department issues licences for hydropower projects?
- A) Department of Electricity Development ✔
- B) Department of Roads
- C) DHM
- D) DoTM
Why: The Department of Electricity Development (DoED) issues survey and generation licences for hydropower projects.
Electricity generated by water is called:
- A) Hydroelectricity ✔
- B) Thermal power
- C) Solar power
- D) Nuclear power
Why: Electricity made from flowing or falling water is hydroelectricity. Thermal power uses fuel, solar uses sunlight and nuclear uses atomic reactions.
1 MW equals:
- A) 1,000 kW ✔
- B) 100 kW
- C) 10 kW
- D) 1,000,000 kW
Why: 1 megawatt (MW) equals 1,000 kilowatts (kW). So Pharping's 500 kW was half a megawatt.
Storage projects are useful because they:
- A) Supply power in the dry season ✔
- B) Need no dam
- C) Work only in monsoon
- D) Are cheaper
Why: Storage projects hold water in a reservoir during the wet season and release it in winter, so they can supply power when rivers are low.
Pumped storage hydropower:
- A) Pumps water uphill when power is cheap ✔
- B) Uses solar panels
- C) Burns coal
- D) Uses wind
Why: Pumped storage pumps water uphill to a reservoir when power is cheap or surplus, then releases it to generate power when demand is high.
Middle Marsyangdi lies in:
- A) Lamjung ✔
- B) Kaski
- C) Gorkha
- D) Tanahun
Why: Middle Marsyangdi Hydropower is in Lamjung district, on the Marsyangdi river in Gandaki Province.
Chameliya hydropower is in:
- A) Darchula ✔
- B) Baitadi
- C) Doti
- D) Bajhang
Why: Chameliya Hydropower is in Darchula district in the far west, on the Chameliya river.
Nepal began selling power to India's power exchange in:
- A) 2021 ✔
- B) 2015
- C) 2010
- D) 2024
Why: Nepal began selling power on India's power exchange in November 2021, after India approved the first Nepali projects to sell.
Nepal exported electricity to Bangladesh through:
- A) Indian grid ✔
- B) Direct line
- C) Sea cable
- D) China
Why: Nepal's power exports to Bangladesh in 2024 went through India's grid, because Nepal and Bangladesh do not share a border.
Upper Karnali project was licensed to:
- A) GMR (India) ✔
- B) China Three Gorges
- C) NEA
- D) Japan
Why: The Upper Karnali project was licensed to GMR, an Indian company, for development mainly for export.
Which is a renewable energy source?
- A) Hydropower ✔
- B) Coal
- C) Diesel
- D) Natural gas
Why: Hydropower is renewable because the water cycle refills rivers. Coal, diesel and natural gas are non-renewable fossil fuels.
The main cause of winter power shortage is:
- A) Low river flow in run-of-river plants ✔
- B) Too much rain
- C) Floods
- D) Snowfall
Why: Winter shortages happen because river flow drops in the dry season, and most Nepali plants are run-of-river with no storage.