Er.energyNP@Gmail.com

The towers (poles) of the Kohalpur–Surkhet 132 kV electricity transmission line have collapsed just three months after becoming operational.

The transmission line, which was energized after charging at the substation located in Subbakuna, Ward No. 11 of Birendranagar Municipality in Surkhet, collapsed due to recent strong winds, according to the Nepal Electricity Authority, Surkhet.

According to the authority, two towers in Chisapani, Banke, that were damaged by the storm fell on Saturday. Following the collapse of the towers, electricity transmission has been halted.

It will take one month to rebuild the poles, said Kirana Khanal, Chief Engineer of the Nepal Electricity Authority, Surkhet.

According to the project chief of the Kohalpur–Surkhet 132 kV transmission line, Rabi Kumar Chaudhary, a Sal tree that was 38 meters long and about three meters thick fell down.

He said, “A tree larger than the tower itself fell and hit the pole. The pole also has a certain capacity.”

He added that since there are many such large trees in the national park area, similar problems could arise again in the future.

In the national park, only trees within 18 meters of the transmission tower are allowed to be cut. However, this particular tree fell from about 30 meters away, said Chief Chaudhary.

At present, electricity supply in this area has become irregular as power is being supplied through the old Kohalpur–Surkhet/Lamki 33 kV line. The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has stated that due to extremely low voltage in the 33 kV system, electrical load is being placed on transformers, distribution line wires, and other equipment, causing technical problems.

According to the authority, until the 132 kV line is restored and operational again, issues such as low voltage may continue, leading to irregular power supply.

Meanwhile, Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Minister Biraj Bhakta Shrestha has expressed concern over the incident in which two 132 kV towers in the Chisapani area of Banke under the Kohalpur–Surkhet 132 kV transmission line collapsed, disrupting electricity supply in Karnali Province. He has instructed the concerned authorities to expedite repair and investigation work.

The minister’s secretariat is coordinating with relevant offices and working to restore electricity by reconstructing the towers and resuming power supply. During the storm, falling trees completely damaged the two towers.

Following the incident, the NEA has also formed an investigation committee under the coordination of Grid Operation Chief Raman Raj Sharma. According to the authority, the construction responsibility of the damaged towers was undertaken by RS Infra Company.

It has been assessed that the foundations of the towers also need to be rebuilt, and the repair and restoration work is estimated to take around three weeks to complete.

After the 132 kV transmission line was disrupted, limited electricity supply has been resumed in Karnali Province as an alternative through the older 33 kV transmission line. However, as the capacity of this line is low, electricity service has been affected.

The Kohalpur–Surkhet 132 kV transmission line is a major infrastructure project built with the goal of providing a long-term solution to the electricity problems in Karnali Province.

Kantipur