KATHMANDU, MAY 30

Demanding fair compensation for the affected households during land acquisition and advocating for relocation of the transmission line route, residents of Sukauli, situated in Hetauda sub-metropolitan city-15 of Makwanpur district, have been obstructing the upgradation process of 132 kV double circuit transmission line since more than a month.

A high-level team, including Managing Director of Nepal Electricity Authority Kulman Ghising and Deputy Executive Director of Project Management Directorate Tara Prasad Pradhan, visited the construction site and appealed the residents to refrain from impeding the upgradation work in view of its significance for east-west electricity transmission.

Ghising assured that the legitimate demands put forth by the local residents will be addressed.

However, he pointed out that the construction of transmission lines poses challenges, and if it is infeasible to alter the route of an ongoing project, it becomes equally impracticable to relocate an already completed transmission line.

'If upgradation of this transmission line is not carried out, it will hinder the flow of electricity in the projects planned along the corridor of the Marsyangdi River, resulting in significant financial losses for the state. It is crucial to recognise the importance of this line and not obstruct its progress, as it fulfils the demands of all stakeholders.'

Ghising has assured that the issues concerning land acquisition, and other related matters will be addressed through policy-level discussions.

Meanwhile Sunil Moktan, the chairman of Ward 15, highlighted that the affected households were not given adequate compensation during the construction of the transmission line 41 years ago. Additionally, he emphasised that the presence of high tension wires has hindered the construction of houses in the area.

The NEA is in the process of upgrading of the East-West 132 kV double circuit transmission line, spanning approximately 136 kilometres from Hetauda to Dhankuta, by replacing the existing outdated wires with new ones of higher capacity.

After the conductor replacement, the upgrading of the transmission line will increase its capacity from approximately 200 megawatts to 400 megawatts, improving regional electricity supply, enabling the transmission of surplus power from the western region to the east, and facilitating potential export to India through the Dhalkebar substation.

Of the 9.57-kilometre transmission line between Hetauda Sub-Metropolitan City's Chaukkitol Substation and Kamane, a 7.5-kilometre section has been temporarily connected with old cut-off towers due to local obstruction.

This has resulted in insufficient capacity and challenges in managing electricity demand, causing issues like tripping in Tarai region.

The contract for upgradation of the 132 kV transmission line's conductor was awarded in August 2022 and the goal is to complete the project by 2024.

A version of this article appears in the print on May 31, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.