Power generation at a hydroelectric plant in Nepal has been halted after a fire broke out this week.

State-owned Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) confirmed the accident at the 32MW Kulekhani 2 plant, which destroyed three transformers worth Rs 330 million, reports claim. The transformers help step up the voltage for transmission to power substations.

According to project officials, the overall process to replace the damaged equipments and resume power generation will take between seven to eight months.

NEA was using power generated from the Kulekhani hydro electricity project during peak hours. Reports claim the company would import power from India to cater to its energy requirements for the time being.

Nepal still struggles to cope with its electricity demand and householders and businesses face hours of loadshedding a day, i.e. when utilities switch off power supplies in the country. NEA said that damage to the hydroelectric plant could lead to a rise in loadshedding hours.