Co-production of climate services is widely recognised as a valuable way to integrate relevant and reliable climate information into decision-making contexts. Yet the extent of information and evidence that may be relevant to a climate-sensitive decision can be very large, and it is not always feasible to involve all stakeholders throughout the process of constructing climate information. Pragmatic approaches are required, particularly in resource-constrained contexts to ensure scientifically defensible climate information can be provided to guide adaptation decisions. The Climate Information Distillation Framework (CIDF) is a multidisciplinary approach that builds on recent research with the aim of supporting climate service development across a range of applications, sectors and contexts. Here we apply the theoretical framework to the Nepal hydropower sector. Focusing on present day uncertainties and projected future changes to extreme rainfall, we show that a CIDF can be applied in situations where opportunities for co-production are limited but where there is a need to consider diverse perspectives and objectives. The benefits and challenges of using this framework are discussed, highlighting that while climate information rarely dominates in adaptation decision-making processes, appropriate framing, synthesis, transparency and communication of uncertain climate information can valuably support adaptation decisions and policy. Providing the case study of hydropower development in Nepal, within a complex economic and development context, we find that applying the theoretical framework must be done with humility and flexibility to support real-world decision-making.