A new 33/11 kV substation at Gauradaha Municipality-7, Juropani, in Jhapa district, has come into operation. The substation was constructed through the distribution system strengthening and expansion project under the Nepal Electricity Authority Project Management Directorate.

With the start of electricity supply from this substation, the problem of low voltage long faced by consumers from Gauradaha in Jhapa to the Indian border in the south is expected to be solved. Five feeder lines of 11 kV each have been taken out from Juropani substation connected with power transformer of 6-8 MVA capacity for local power supply.

Feeders of 11 kV have been connected from the substation to supply electricity in Gauradaha, Maharani, Baigundhura and Gaurigunj and one more feeder has been kept in reserve, said the NEA.

The substation was put into operation on Sunday. In the first phase, the Maharani feeder has been brought into operation; the remaining feeders will be brought into operation gradually.

At present, electricity has been supplied from Padajugi (Damak) 132 kV substation through 11 kV distribution line to Gauradaha, Juropani, Maharani, Gauriganj and other areas.

As the 11 kV distribution line was too long, there were problems such as low voltage and tripping in that area. After starting to supply electricity from Juropani substation, the problems faced by the consumers have been solved and the electricity supply has become sufficient, reliable and qualitative. Farmers in that area have been irrigating the fields by using electric motors.

Durga Datta Subedi, assistant engineer of the project involved in testing, operation and charging, said that the 280-volt line was supplied earlier, but after the 400-volt line started being supplied from the new substation, the electric equipment such as water pumps have started working well. About 18-km-long 33 kV line from Padajugi to Juropani is under construction.

In some places, the line could not be pulled due to the obstruction of local residents. As it is necessary to solve the problem of electricity supply in Gauradaha area, as an alternative system, a line has been taken from the side of Padajugi-Gaurigunj road and Juropani substation has been brought into operation.

The substation was built with the investment of the government and NEA, as well as with concessional loans from the Asian Development Bank.