The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has expressed interest in speeding up the construction of the new Khimti-Bahrabise transmission line under the Tamakosi-Kathmandu 220-400 KV transmission line project.

Managing Director of NEA Kulman Ghising had reached the construction site with a technical team after learning that there had been some trouble.

The 102 MW Central Bhotekoshi Hydroelectric Project is under construction at Sindhupalchowk under the leadership of Chilime Hydropower Company. There is no transmission line for the electricity produced by the project. Therefore, the authority has given the highest priority for the construction of the new Khimti-Bahrabise section to prevent the project from wasting electricity.

The construction of a 400 KV substation at Naya Khimti and connection of additional power transformers of 220, 132, 33 KV, 200 MVA capacity is currently underway to increase the capacity of the substation.

The length of the transmission line from New Khimti Substation at Sankhe Fulasi, Manthali-13 of Ramechhap to Bahrabise Substation at Sindhupalchok is 43 km. Out of the 118 towers of the new Khimti-Bahrabise transmission line section passing through Ramechhap, Dolakha and Sindhupalchok districts, the foundations of 93 towers have been laid.

Similarly, 73 towers have been erected while 20 km of wire has been stretched. The foundation of six towers and the construction of three towers are in progress. The process of land acquisition for the construction of three towers in Ramechhap has been started.

Likewise, Out of the 84 towers in Dolakha, one tower to be constructed in Melung-7 Sittali has not been constructed due to the obstruction by the landowner. For the land to be acquired, a compensation of one million rupees per plant was fixed in Poush, 2077 BS. However, the landowner is obstructing the construction disagreeing with the decision.

Out of 31 towers in Sindhupalchowk, 13 foundations have been laid and three have been erected. The access road is being dug to reach the construction site of the rest of the towers located in geographically difficult and complex places. The overall construction progress of the new Khimti-Baharbise section is 70 percent at present.

Meanwhile, a team led by the managing director of the authority, Ghising, held discussions with the local residents while monitoring the project. The team discussed issues such as tree felling, acquisition of land, supply of construction materials and equipment, reasons for obstruction by the locals, schedule for completion of the construction, etc.

The team has instructed the companies involved in the project management and construction to complete the work of the new Khimti-Bahrbise section transmission line and substation by August.

According to Ghising, if this project is completed, there is an option to connect Madhya Bhotekosi's electricity directly to the national transmission grid. Ghising said to the participants in the discussion, "Let's speed up the construction by adding manpower and equipment before the start of the rainy season and solve the local problems and complete the construction by August."