Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Shakti Bahadur Basnet, has said the country has moved ahead in the path of prosperity through the energy sector.

At a programme organized to inaugurate the 400-kV Inaruwa substation in Sunsari, Minister Basnet mentioned that generation of more than 500-MW electricity in one year has proved that the country has been moving towards progress.

Mentioning that there is a reliable base to produce around 30,000 MW power within next 10 years, he said that additional legal arrangements are being made to address the problems of right-of-way seen in construction of transmission lines and demands of locals.

Similarly, Chief Minister of Koshi Province, Kedar Karki, expressed the belief that the problems facing industrialists of Koshi Province due to lack of adequate power supply would be resolved with the operation of the substation in Inaruwa.

Federal Parliament lawmaker from Sunsari-4 and former minister Gyanendra Bahadur Karki said it is a matter of happiness and pride that the substation has come into operation as it plays a significant role in promoting the country's economy.

Secretary at the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Gopal Sigdel opined that the substation would prove to be a milestone for the consumption of electricity within the country as well as for its export.

Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) Managing Director Kulman Ghising said Inaruwa substation is like the backbone for transmitting the electricity generated in various districts of Koshi province for domestic consumption and for exporting surplus power to the Indian market.

"In addition to transmitting electricity in the national transmission grid via the substation, electricity will also be supplied locally, which will improve the voltage in the area, making the power supply reliable and quality. A 400 kV Inaruwa-Purnia inter-country transmission line for power trade with India and another 400 kV Inaruwa-Anarmani transmission line for power trade between Nepal, India and Bangladesh have been proposed through this substation," he added.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal inaugurated the 400 kV-capacity Inaruwa sub-station, considered as the second biggest one in the country, today.