Construction work on the Upper Tamakoshi Hydro Power Project’s New Khimti Sub-station has been accelerated at Fulasima of Manthali Municipality in Ramechhap.

The sub-station construction was halted for the past four years due to a dispute over compensation for locals affected by the project.

The dispute was resolved after locals were provided with additional rehabilitation package besides compensation. The land owners who were not satisfied with the compensation amount had posed obstruction to building the sub-station for years.

Spokesperson for Upper Tamakoshi Hydro Power Project Ganesh Neupane said they resumed construction after consensus was forged with the affected locals.

Nepal Electricity Authority had expropriated 137 ropani land in the affected area for construction of the sub-station. The power generated from the hydro project will be linked with Khimti-Dhalkebar transmission line via the substation. The construction of the substation will connect power of Upper Tamakoshi, Khimti, Tamakoshi III, Likhu 1, 2, 3 and 4 and Khimti II, among other projects, with the central transmission line.

According to Neupane, NEA is moving ahead with construct of a 220/400 KV transmission line from the New Khimti Sub-station to ease transmission of 800MW electricity. Long-distance transmission line in Dolakha and Ramechhap had made it difficult to link power generated in the Sunkoshi River. Hence, the locals were facing problems of regular disruption. “The construction of New Khimti Substation will put an end to the problem,” said Neupane.

Indian KEC International was entrusted with the construction of the substation before December. “We accelerated the construction to complete the task within the stipulated time. As the Upper Tamakoshi project is at its final stage, we have to build the substation in time. We are planning to begin commercial power generation from next April,” said Neupane.

National Pride Upper Tamakoshi Hydro Power Project also has focused on construction of 220 KV transmission line to pass the electricity to New Khimti Substation. Of the 127 towers of the transmission line, 123 have been erected so far. Of the 47-kilometre transmission line, work along a 19-kilometre stretch has been completed and the project is expected to complete the remaining work by October.

[July 9, 2018 / thehimalayantimes.com]