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The under-construction 132 kV Dandakhet-Rahughat transmission line project in Myagdi has achieved 89 percent physical progress as the deadline of its third extension is about to expire.

A contract worth Rs. 3.57 billion was signed with Larsen & Toubro Limited on December 31, 2021, for the construction of the 25-kilometer transmission line connecting Dandakhet in Malika Rural Municipality-7 with Ambang in Raghuganga Rural Municipality-3, along with substations at both locations.

After the first deadline expired on July 16, 2025, and the second on November 16, the deadline was extended for a third time until August 16, 2026.

Suraj Gurung, an engineer and assistant project manager, said the contractor does not appear likely to complete the work even within the third extended deadline.

“Although the project has been repeatedly urging the contractor to speed up the work and has been coordinating and facilitating with stakeholders, it appears that another four to five months will be required,” he said. “The delay has been caused by the failure to obtain tree-felling approval in forest areas falling within the transmission line’s right-of-way, the weak geology at the Rahughat substation site, disaster risks, and disputes with local residents at some tower construction sites.”

The Nepal Electricity Authority is constructing the transmission line to connect electricity generated by hydropower projects in the Myagdi and Rahughat basins to the national grid. Of the 82 towers planned for the 132 kV double-circuit transmission line, foundations for 80 have been completed and 72 towers have been erected so far. Equipment for both the transmission line and substations has already been imported.

The Dandakhet substation has reached 90 percent completion, while stringing of conductors has been completed along 12.1 kilometers of the 25-kilometer transmission line. Project chief Roshan Agrawal said construction of the physical structures at the Dandakhet substation has been completed and testing is currently underway.

The Dandakhet substation, constructed on a total area of 51 ropanis, is being equipped with 133/33 kV, 30 MVA capacity equipment using AIS technology. At the Rahughat substation, which will use GIS technology and be equipped with 220/132/33 kV, 200 MVA capacity equipment, installation of equipment and construction of the office building have reached the final stage.

The total estimated cost of the project is Rs. 4.88 billion, of which Rs. 1.05 billion is being financed by the Nepal Electricity Authority and Rs. 3.82 billion through a loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The loan agreement with the ADB, originally worth US$27 million, was later increased to US$31 million. The ADB is financing the Rahughat-Dandakhet transmission line through its Electricity Transmission Line Modernization Project.

For the use of 25.62 hectares of community and national forest land required for the transmission line right-of-way and tower sites, the Council of Ministers granted approval on February 18, 2024. However, the Division Forest Office issued the tree-felling order only in the first week of June this year - two years and two months after the Cabinet approval.

There are 3,936 trees within the project construction area. Of the 82 transmission towers, 40 are located in forest areas and 42 on private land. In compensation for using forest land, the project purchased 504 ropanis of land in October 2024 and has already provided the first installment of funds for planting and raising seedlings.

Four hydropower projects with a combined capacity of 172.8 MW are under construction along the Myagdi River. In the Rahughat area, the 35.5 MW Chimkhola-Rahughat-Mangle, 48 MW Upper Rahughat, 21.3 MW Thulokhola, and 23.5 MW Upper Thulokhola hydropower projects have started generating electricity. The 40 MW Rahughat Hydropower Project is in the final stage of construction.

The Chimkhola-Rahughat-Mangle project developed by Tundi Power and the Thulokhola Hydropower Project developed by Samyukta Urja have supplied electricity to the 220 kV Kaligandaki transmission line using temporary towers.

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