The construction of the 220 kV Barabishe substation in Bahrbise municipality of Sindhupalchok is nearing completion. Constructed under a concessional loan from Asian Development Project, the construction progress of the 220-132 kV substation is at about 95 percent completion. Additionally, a 400 KV substation is also under construction in Bahrbise.

Over the past year, several strategically important transmission line projects funded by ADB have become operational, including the recently inaugurated 220 kV Kaligandaki Corridor Transmission Line.

The managing director, Kulman Ghising, has been regularly making field visits and monitoring progress on other important projects, such as the 220 kV Bardaghat-New Butwal Transmission Line project, which is now in its final stage.

The power transformers, including 220 ÷ 132 kV, 160 MVA and 132 ÷ 11 kV, 5 MVA, have been connected and are ready for use. The installation of substation equipment that uses Gas Insulated System (GIS) technology is in its final stage. All control room equipment has been delivered to the construction site, and device connections are progressing rapidly.

The 102 megawatt Madhyabhotekoshi hydropower project, built in Sindhupalchowk under the leadership of Chilime Hydropower Company, a subsidiary of Nepal Electricity Authority, will connect to this substation.

The project's electricity will flow to the Bahrabise substation through a 220 kV transmission line. The project has constructed towers for a 220 kV single circuit transmission line that is about 4 km long, running from the switchyard of its power plant to Bahrbise substation. Currently, about 2 km of transmission line wire has been stretched.

However, the project is unable to lay the remaining 2 km of wire due to obstruction by local residents of Palanti, located in Bahrbise Municipality-3 and 4.

The construction of Madhyabhotekoshi hydropower project structures is complete and undergoing testing.

The authority is facing pressure to complete the Bahrbise substation quickly to avoid wasting the electricity generated by the project. This is because the electricity is not yet connected to the national transmission line.

On Saturday, the authority's high-level team, including Managing Director Kulman Ghising, Deputy Managing Director of Generation Directorate Dilghayu Kumar Shrestha, and Deputy Managing Director of Project Management Directorate Tara Prasad Pradhan, monitored the substation construction site and instructed that the remaining works be completed immediately.

The team discussed the construction problems with project management and construction professionals. They also discussed equipment supply, the construction completion schedule, and local issues that were obstructing the transmission line. In addition, the team visited the Madhyabhotekoshi hydropower project and obtained information about the ongoing testing.

The Managing Director, Ghising, instructed that the construction of the substation be completed within two months by increasing the manpower. All equipment has been supplied, and some connections are in the final stages.

The progress of the final phase of substation construction is satisfactory. Additionally, the construction of the new Khimti-Bahrbise and Bahrbise Lapsifedi (Kathmandu) transmission line has reached its final stage. If there are no further issues, the construction will be completed within the next 2-3 months. Ghising encouraged everyone to take the final initiative and do their part.

The construction of the twelve-phase substation has been delayed due to the poor performance of the joint venture between Chinese companies Guangxi Transmission and Substation Construction and Shenzhen Claw Electronics, as well as the COVID-19 epidemic. However, the construction of the substation is still mandatory.

The authorities have made temporary arrangements for the electricity flow in Madhya Bhotesh.

Shivashree Hydropower, the promoter company of the 22 MW Upper Knife A hydroelectric project, will double the 132 kV single circuit transmission line. The high-level team has requested immediate commencement of the work on the line to be constructed by Shivshree Hydropower from Lamosanghu substation to Bahrabise.

The company needs to lay seven kilometers of wires out of a total of ten kilometers of lines. Additionally, they will have to build about three kilometers of new transmission lines from near Bahrbise Bazar to the substation. All the necessary equipment for the transmission line has been supplied, and the foundations for five out of eight towers have been laid.

The Tamakoshi-Kathmandu transmission line and substation construction has begun to transmit electricity from the Tamakoshi and Sunkoshi rivers' hydroelectric project and their tributaries to the national transmission system. The Asian Development Bank is providing concessional loans for the construction of transmission lines and substations.

The Tamakoshi-Kathmandu 220-400 kV transmission line project is currently constructing a 42 km transmission line from New Khimti substation at Ramechhap to Barhabise. Only 8 out of the 118 towers on the transmission line are still under construction, with 7 of them being built in the forest area of Sindhupalchowk.

One tower near the New Khimti substation is not being constructed due to local obstacles. The transmission line wire has been stretched for 30 km. The contractor in charge of constructing this section has stated that if the issue is resolved, the work can be completed within three months.

A 46 km 400 kV double circuit transmission line is currently under construction from Bahrbise to Lapsiphedi in Kathmandu. The transmission line consists of 122 towers, with only 4 towers remaining to be constructed due to obstruction by the locals of Lapsiphedi.

As both projects are financed by concessional loans from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the acceleration of construction activities will help to increase ADB's portfolio in the energy sector.

Since the government has already announced to achieve the zero emission target by 2045, there is a need for huge investment in the energy sector, especially in the expansion of transmission and distribution system. ADB's support is crucial to achieve this.