Energy Transition: A Case of Social Resistance from the Community in the Development of Gelun River Hydro Power Development in Nepal

Nepal has a massive potential to harness more than 72,000 MW of hydropower energy by taking advantage of its major river basins and subbasins. Despite having this potential to advance the country's renewable source of energy, Nepal still relies on traditional biomass energy. Through a case study methodology, the paper explores how Gelun River Hydropower Project was initially resisted by the community members along with its influential and local political leaders. The study has used Focus Group Discussion and literature reviews to explore the causes of resistance through the lens of the project developers. The Findings revealed that the community people are unwilling to sell their land for the project as they consider it as an ancestral asset and even if they do they tend to over value the land prices. This creates a hesitance from the community, thus leading to the barriers in the further development of the project.