Kathmandu: The Lahachowk substation under the New Modi (Parbat)-Lekhnath (Kaski) 132 kV double circuit transmission line project has been inaugurated. Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Pampha Bhusal on Monday inaugurated the project built in Machhapuchhre Rural Municipality-4 of Kaski.

Under the new Modi-Lekhnath Transmission Line Project, the construction of a 132 kV transmission line from the substation at Modi Rural Municipality-2 Deupur to Lahachowk has been completed and is now operational. The substation has 133/33 kV, 30 MVA and 33/11 kV, 8 MVA power transformers. The substation has a 33 kV line bay and four 11 kV feeders for local power supply.

The new Modi 132 kV switching station is connected to the Lahachowk substation national grid through the Modi Hydropower Station. The Hemja 33/11 kV substation will also be connected from the substation.

Electricity has been supplied to Machhapuchhre, Annapurna Rural Municipality and Pokhara Metropolis of Kaski from the Lahachowk substation. As a result, the power supply of the area has become reliable and of quality. As the power supply line from Pokhara to the area was long, there were problems like power tripping and low voltage. According to Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), now with the supply from the Lahachowk substation, the electricity service in the area has been improved and consumers have got reliable and quality electricity. The technical leakage of electricity has also decreased.

The construction of the new Modi-Lekhnath transmission line project was started to improve power supply in Parbat, Kaski and other districts and to provide electricity to hydropower projects to be constructed in Modi, Seti, Madi and Sardi rivers. The estimated cost of the project is Rs 2.24 billion.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister Bhusal said that in the past only the issue of using electricity was discussed but now it has reached the stage of discussion regarding the consumption of electricity in all sectors including industry, transportation and Nepal is moving toward becoming self-reliant in energy.

Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) Managing Director Kulman Ghising said that the power supply has become reliable after the transmission line and substation came into operation and the infrastructure has been prepared to supply electricity generated from various hydropower projects that are under construction in the region to the national grid.

Shridharan Madhusudan, joint secretary at the Ministry of External Affairs of India, said that the construction of transmission line and substation was not only cooperation between Nepal and India but also a development partnership in important areas. He expressed his commitment to continue India's support and partnership in the development of Nepal's energy sector.

A contract agreement was signed with Kalpatru Power Transmission Limited, India for the construction of the transmission line. Under the project, construction of a new Modi-Lahachowk transmission line section has been completed and the line has come into operation while the Lahachowk-Lekhnath section is under construction. Of the 75 towers in the Lahachowk-Lekhnath section, 19 are yet to be constructed.

The construction has been affected due to obstruction by locals of Machhapuchhre Rural Municipality and Pokhara Metropolitan City demanding change of route of the transmission line. The length of the transmission line is 43 kilometers.