The construction of the Chilime-Trishuli 220 kV transmission line has been successfully completed, allowing the electricity produced by the hydropower projects constructed on the Trishuli River and its tributaries to be transmitted into the national system.

The construction of the 28-kilometer long transmission line has been completed from Chilime Hub Substation in Thambuchet, Aamachhodingmo Rural Municipality of Rasuwa to the Trishuli 3 Hub substation in Pahrebensi, Kispang Rural Municipality of Nuwakot.

Kulman Ghising, managing director (MD) of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), said that the construction of the transmission line has been completed due to the effort of employees and construction workers even during the public holidays of Dashain and Tihar festivals.

MD Ghising said that the infrastructure for the transmission lines required for electricity flow from the 111 MW Rasuwagadhi and the 42.5 MW Sanjen, both led by the NEA’s subsidiary Chilime Hydropower, has been prepared. The Rasuwagadhi and Sanjen projects are in the phase of electricity production following the completion of construction.

Under the Chilmie-Trishuli 220 kV transmission line project, the construction of the 220-132-33 kV Chilmie Hub and Trishuli 3BHub substations has been completed. The electricity from the Trishuli 3B Hub substation will be integrated into the national system via the Trishuli-Kathmandu 220 kV transmission line up to Matatirtha.

Similarly, 76 towers have been constructed for the transmission line. The transmission line runs through areas from 680 to 2600 m above sea level. A total of 33 towers had to be built in places where there was no access road. A separate access road has been constructed to reach the place.

Thark Bahadur Thapa, director of the NEA’s High Voltage Grid Department, said that the project has constructed more than 20 kilometers of access roads for transmission line construction. Thapa said that two towers were constructed by transporting construction materials and tools by mules and men, and by transporting construction materials by nine helicopters.

A wire has been stretched for a length of 1,235 meters from Tiru in Uttargaya Rural Municipality-1 to Siruchet. A wire was drawn using drones on the section (Mailung Crossing) over the Mailung Khola.

Under the transmission line, a 20 km double circuit Chilime-Mailung section and an eight km four (multi) circuit line up to Mailung-Trishuli 3B hub have been constructed. Under the leadership of a Korean company, a multi-circuit line is going to be made to transmit the power of the 216 MW Upper Trishuli-1 hydroelectric project. Upper Trishuli-1 will bear 60 percent of the cost of constructing the multi-circuit line.

The electricity generated from the Sanjen and Rasuwagadhi hydropower projects will be connected to the Chilmie Hub substation and integrated into the national system through the Chilmie-Trishuli transmission line.

The estimated cost of the Chilime-Trishuli project is US$ 3.628 million, with investments from the Government of Nepal and the NEA, and grants from the German Development Bank (KfW). The project also has concessional loans arranged by the European Investment Bank.

A contract agreement was signed with the Chinese company Pinggao Group of Companies in November 2017 for the construction of transmission lines and substations. The contract was implemented in December 2017.