Kathmandu, Mar. 11: Under the Koshi Corridor 220 kV transmission line project, the construction of the first circuit of the transmission line from Basantapur substation in Dharmadevi Municipality of Sankhuwasabha to Dhungesanghu substation in Maiwakhola Rural Municipality of Taplejung has been completed.

The Basantapur-Dhungesanghu 220 kV double circuit transmission line has been constructed to flow the electricity of the hydroelectric projects constructed on the Tamor River and its tributaries into the national grid.

The length of the Basantapur-Dhungesanghu 220 kV transmission line, which passes from the sea level up to 3000 metres, is 35 km.

A total of 127 towers have been built for the transmission line.

Under the line, six bays are being expanded in the Basantapur substation. Among them, devices of three bays are being installed and tested. The goal is to complete the work within mid-March 2024.

Managing Director of Nepal Electricity Authority Kul Man Ghising said that after the completion of the Basantapur-Dhungesanghu transmission line, there will be no problem in the electricity flow of the 73 MW Middle Tamor Hydropower Project being constructed by Sanima Middle Tamor Hydropower Company in Taplejung.

“Power generation of Middle Tamor will be connected to the Basantapur-Dhungesanghu transmission line within a few weeks, we have received information that the final phase of the project is currently being tested. Installation and testing of equipment for bay expansion is being done at the Basantapur substation to connect the project’s electricity by the time the Middle Tamor starts generating electricity at the Basantapur substation,” he said.

The transmission line and substation have been prepared, but since hydropower projects cannot be built, the 220kV line has to be run at a low capacity.

“The power of the hydropower projects, including Middle Tamor, will be connected to this line and supplied to Morang and Sunsari districts through Inaruwa substation. As a result, the voltage will be improved and the power supply will be reliable and qualitative,” he said.

Under the Koshi Corridor Transmission Line Project Package-3, a contract was signed with KEC International, India in January 2018 for USD 24.5 million for the construction of Basantapur-Dhungesanghu 220 kV transmission line and 132/33 kV substation at Dhungesanghu.

The contract was implemented from May 2018.

The construction of the transmission line has been completed and the construction of Dhungesanghu substation is in the final stage.

The Basantapur-Dhungesanghu transmission line was constructed with the investment of the government and NEA and the concessional loan of the Export-Import Bank of the government of India.

Under the Koshi Corridor Transmission Line Project Package-4, construction of the second circuit of Basantapur-Dhungesanghu transmission line and bay extension work is underway at Basantapur substation.

Out of the total 35 km of transmission line, 15 km of wire has been stretched so far. Bay expansion work is ongoing, said the NEA.

A contract was signed with Nepal Hydro and Electric Ltd. in October 2022 to work on this package. 

The entire work of this package, which is being built with the investment of the government and NEA, is set to be completed within next one and a half months.

Similarly, under the Koshi Corridor Transmission Line Package-1, a 220 kV double circuit tower has been constructed from Tumlingtar in Sankhuwasabha to Inruwa Substation in Bhokraha Narsingh Rural Municipality of Sunsari and brought it into operating by pulling the wire only on one side of the tower.

Under Package 2, 220 kV substations have been completed and put into operation at Inaruwa in Sunsari and Tumlingtar, Baneshwor and Basantapur in Sankhuwasabha.

The Basantapur substation will receive electricity from Tumlingtar and Dhungesanghu substations. The electricity will be supplied to the Inaruwa substation through the 220 kV transmission line from Basantapur and will be integrated into the national transmission system.