An agreement has been made to connect the electricity generated by three private sector hydropower projects in Karnali Province to the national transmission line. The electricity generated by these three private projects, totaling 990 megawatts, will be connected to the Karnali Corridor 330 kV transmission line, which will be constructed by the National Transmission Grid Company Limited (NTGCL).

The electricity produced by the 420 MW Tila-2, 235 MW Humla Karnali-1, and 335 MW Humla Karnali-2 projects will be connected to this transmission line.

An agreement was signed by representatives of the project promoters, Ashish Subedi, Chairman of Ruru Hydroelectric Project Limited; Bhanu Bhakta Pokhrel, Chairman of Energy Tila Power Company Pvt. Ltd.; and Dr. Netra Gyawali, Chief Executive Officer of the Grid Company in this regard.

The National Transmission Grid Company has already started the construction of the 400 kV Karnali Corridor transmission line from Humla’s Karnali River to Phukot in Kalikot, through Betan in Surkhet, and up to Dodhara in Kanchanpur.

According to the company’s CEO Gyawali, the total length of this transmission line will be 181 kilometres. Electricity from Tila-2 will be connected at the Phukot substation, and electricity from Humla Karnali-1 and 2 will be connected at the Humla substation.

The 185 km long national transmission line under the Karnali Corridor is expected to be completed within the next six years, i.e., by 2031. The estimated cost of the transmission line is Rs. 12 billion, and the construction of the 95 km segment from the Phukot hub to the lower section has already begun.

Further, a study of the 90 km section from Phukot to the Humla hub will be completed within two years, with the construction expected to follow. The construction of the Tila-2 project in Kalikot is expected to be completed by 2030, and the construction of the 570 MW Humla Karnali-1 and 2 projects is also planned to be completed within next six years.

The Energy Tila Power Company Pvt. Ltd. and Ruru Hydroelectric Project Limited are responsible for constructing these projects. The agreement includes connecting the electricity generated by Tila-2 at the Phukot substation and by Humla Karnali-1 and 2 at the Humla substation.

An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the Humla Karnali-1 and 2 projects has already begun, and Nepal's leading hydro consultant, Hydroelectric Engineering, has been entrusted with the responsibility for the environmental study.

After the Chinese company withdrew from its commitment to purchase electricity from Humla Karnali-1 and 2, the responsibility for constructing these projects was taken over by Nepali companies.

Ruru Hydroelectric Project Ltd. and Karnali Water Power Pvt. Ltd. are jointly moving ahead with the projects.

Both projects had originally been licensed for construction by the Chinese company Sichuan Wangping Energy, but after the company withdrew from investing in Nepal, Ruru and Karnali Water Power Pvt. Ltd. took over in 2022.

The Tila-2 hydropower project will be constructed in Khalla, Tilagufa Municipality-5, Kalikot. The estimated cost of the Tila-2 project is Rs 42.1 billion, and the project has already signed a power purchase agreement.

The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the project have been completed, with only land acquisition remaining.

By Nabin Subedi