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Floods and landslides have caused greater damage to transmission infrastructure than to the generation structures of hydropower projects, disrupting electricity generation and transmission from two hydropower projects in Myagdi and Baglung districts.

The 42-MW Mistri Khola Hydropower Project in Myagdi and the 9.6-MW Daram Khola Hydroelectric Project in Baglung have been unable to transmit electricity to the national grid after transmission line towers, poles and wires were damaged.

Both projects have separately informed the Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) about the damage caused to their transmission infrastructure by the floods and landslides.

Transmission from 42-MW Mistri Khola halted

Electricity transmission from the Mistri Khola Hydropower Project, located in Narchyang of Annapurna Rural Municipality-4, Myagdi, has been disrupted since September 27.

According to Mountain Energy Nepal Limited, a tower of the Nepal Electricity Authority’s Dana-Kushma 220 kV transmission line was damaged by severe flooding and landslides along the Kaligandaki River.

The company said that, according to information provided by the NEA on September 28, the damage to the transmission tower has prevented the project from transmitting all of its generated electricity to the national grid.

Daram Khola’s 33 kV line damaged

Electricity generation and transmission from the 9.6-MW Daram Khola Hydroelectric Project in Baglung have been halted since the night of September 25.

Floods damaged poles and wires along the 33 kV transmission line connecting the project’s switchyard to the Nepal Electricity Authority’s Harichaur Substation.

The company said electricity generation and transmission from the project were completely halted from 8 p.m. on September 25, following the damage to the transmission line.

Main structures safe, generation to resume after line repair

The company said the flood did not cause significant damage to the Daram Khola project’s headworks, powerhouse or other major structures. Therefore, the project can be brought back into operation once repairs to the transmission line are completed, it said.

The incidents involving the two projects indicate that transmission infrastructure required to evacuate electricity has recently become more vulnerable to floods and landslides than the power-generation facilities themselves.

Damage to transmission line towers, poles or wires can prevent a project from transmitting its generated electricity to the national grid even when the project’s generation facilities remain operational. Therefore, restoring damaged transmission infrastructure has become a key prerequisite for resuming regular power generation.

Electricity generation and supply to the national grid from the Mistri Khola and Daram Khola projects are expected to resume only after the repair and restoration of their respective transmission lines are completed.

Urjasanchar