"The challenges BPC faces maintaining its network are immense, with men having to walk for days in very steep terrain to attend to maintenance. Anything we can share that helps them is positive."
The Northpower tour included an overview of the New Zealand electricity sector, Northpower's history and current business set up, safety, subcontractor management, employee recognition, and the management of electricity peaks and troughs.
BPC project leader Noboru Seki said the visit had been invaluable.
"We are extremely grateful to Northpower for hosting us and their great hospitality in New Zealand," Mr Noboru Seki said.
"We have learned so much and have so much to take back to our country. We are especially impressed with the values that Northpower carries and works with."
BPC Ltd was launched as a public utility in 2002 to distribute electricity throughout Bhutan and also provide transmission access for generating stations for domestic supply and export.
One of BPC's basic mandates is to ensure electricity is available to all citizens and the supply is reliable, adequate and, above all, affordable for all.
BPC is a paramount driver for economic growth to take place in Bhutan - providing a direct link to achieving the national goal of Gross National Happiness.
(In 2006, based on a global survey, Business Week rated Bhutan the happiest country in Asia and the eighth-happiest in the world.)
