Kathmandu: The construction of four substations under the Marsyangdi Corridor 220 KV transmission line project is going on in full swing. Under the project, 220 KV substations are being constructed in New Bharatpur of Chitwan, Udipur of Lamjung and Khudi and Dharapani of Manang. Work is underway to complete the construction and start operations of the Bharatpur and Udipur substations within three months.

The target is to complete the construction of the Khudi substation within a year while the construction of the Dharapani substation has also started. Due to its geographically-remote location, the construction of the Dharapani substation is likely to take more than the allotted time.

The new Bharatpur and Udipur substations will have power transformers with a capacity of 220 ÷ 132 KV, 320 MVA and 220 ÷ 132 KV, 160 MVA and 132 ÷ 33 KV, 50 MVA, respectively. The construction of the main structure of both the substations has reached the final stage.

The Khudi and Dharapani substations will have power transformers of 220 ÷ 132 KV, 160 MVA and 132 ÷ 33 KV, 50 MVA and 220 ÷ 132 KV, 100 MVA and 132 ÷ 33 KV, 30 MVA capacity, respectively. The main civil structures of the Khudi substation are currently under-construction.

A senior management team led by Executive Director of Nepal Electricity Authority, Kulman Ghising, has collected the detailed information about the progress being made in the construction of the substations, the problems encountered, work completion schedule and other issues through project management, consultants and construction businessmen.

Executive Director Ghising urged everyone to complete the transmission line and the substations on time as they are important for the flow of electricity to the private sector hydropower projects under-construction in the Marshyangdi Corridor.

Ghising directed the project’s officials to expedite the approval process for the use of forest land and cutting down of trees and to start the construction of the transmission line by resolving the social problems. He also mentioned that he is ready to take the necessary initiatives and coordination at the upper level for this.

The power lines of the hydropower projects under-construction on the Dordi River in Lamjung will be connected to the Udipur substation through a transmission line. As the construction of the Udipur substation will take some time, the power produced by Dordi Khola projects will be connected to the switchyard of Madhyamsryandi power house which is currently in operation.

The Ngadi of Lamjung and its tributaries will be connected to the power excavation substations of the hydropower projects under-construction.

The Marsyangdi Corridor 220 KV transmission line project has been started for the flow of electricity generated from Marsyangdi and its tributaries and supply them to the national transmission system. About 1,600 MW of electricity will be able to flow from the transmission line. The length of the double circuit transmission line from Bharatpur of Chitwan to Dharapani of Manang is about 113 kilometers.

The work of the project has been divided into three packages. Under the first package, about 67 kilometers of transmission line is being constructed from Udipur to Bharatpur’s new substation. Bharatpur and Udipur substations are under construction under the second package. Under the third package, 46 km transmission line and two substations are being constructed from Khudi to Dharapani.

The project is under construction with an investment of Rs 16 billion from Government of Nepal and a concessional loan from European Investment Bank (EIB).