Following severe flooding in Nepal last week, rescue operations are currently underway to locate hundreds of workers trapped within buried tunnel systems. The scale of the disaster has brought the structural integrity and placement of the nation’s hydropower projects under intense scrutiny. As the country looks toward recovery, policymakers and engineers are debating the risks associated with building energy infrastructure in an environment increasingly prone to extreme weather events linked to climate change.

Hydropower is a cornerstone of Nepal’s economic development strategy, yet the recent floods have demonstrated the extreme vulnerability of these facilities to glacial melt and unpredictable monsoon patterns. While the immediate priority remains the search and rescue of missing personnel, the long-term focus has shifted toward how—or if—these projects should be rebuilt. Experts are divided on whether current engineering standards are sufficient to withstand the changing climate of the Himalayas, or if the environmental risks now outweigh the potential energy benefits. The disaster has forced a reckoning regarding the balance between the country's need for renewable energy and the safety of workers operating in high-risk zones.