KATHMANDU, AUGUST 15
The construction of Bharatpur-Bardghat 220 kilovolt (kV) double circuit transmission line, connecting Bharatpur in Chitwan to Bardghat in Nawalparasi, has been successfully concluded.
The transmission line originates from newly established Bharatpur substation located in Chitwan's Bharatpur Metropolitan City-11 Aaptari and extends to the Bardghat substation situated in Nawalparasi.
This infrastructure project enables efficient transmission of electricity at a capacity of up to 1,000 megawatts, reinforcing the region's power distribution network. It's noteworthy that the 220 kV double circuit transmission line is set to operate at 132 kV during its commissioning phase.
As per Managing Director of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) Kulman Ghising, with the successful completion of construction of the transmission line, the process of transmitting electricity from Bharatpur to western regions will be significantly streamlined.
NEA MD Ghising stated, "After persistent efforts, we have finally completed this project, overcoming challenges such as local opposition to the original route, deforestation concerns, and subpar contractor performance."
Presently, there are three operational circuits, including the pre-existing one, facilitating the transmission of electricity from Bharatpur to Bardghat. By utilising a 220 kV line charged at 132 kV, a single circuit has the potential to generate a maximum of 170 MW of electrical current. Notably, the former single circuit was responsible for delivering around 90 megawatts of electricity.
In a parallel effort, the construction of a 220 kV transmission line connecting Bardghat to the newly established Butwal Substation, located in Sunwal Municipality-13 Bhumhi, Nawalparasi, is currently underway.
The construction is proceeding with the aim of achieving completion within next month. Subsequently, there are plans to extend the 220 kV line from Hetauda to the recently established Butwal Substation.
The Bharatpur-Bardghat transmission line spans a distance of 74 kilometres and is supported by 246 towers. Originally, a contract was signed with Central China Power Grid International Economic and Trade Company in October 2010 to oversee the project's implementation. Due to unsatisfactory performance, this contract was terminated in June 2017. Consequently, a fresh tender was issued for the remaining work.
In July 2018, a new contract was signed with the Chinese company Hengton Optics Electric to complete the outstanding portions of the project. However, the project encountered obstacles when locals from Nawalparasi Binay Triveni Rural Municipality-2 raised concerns and filed a petition in the Supreme Court, prompting a halt in the construction of two transmission line towers in that area. The Supreme Court issued an interim order on April 7, 2021, but it was later overturned on June 26, 2022, allowing construction to resume after reaching an agreement with the affected community in March.
Initially funded by the Nepal government and supported with a concessional loan from the World Bank, the project aimed to enhance the transmission line's capacity and improve Nepal's integrated electricity system reliability. Following the World Bank's withdrawal from the project in October 2021, the government and relevant authorities assumed responsibility for further investment.
A version of this article appears in the print on August 16, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.
