KATHMANDU, JULY 30
Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) is facing pressure to urgently build the Bahrabise substation in order to accommodate the power generated from the 102-megawatt Madhyabhotekoshi power project in Sindhupalchowk. The final phase of the power project is nearing completion, and without the Bahrabise substation, the electricity generated will go to waste.
The construction of the substation has been delayed due to issues with the joint venture of Chinese companies Guangxi Transmission and Substation Construction and Shenzhen Claw Electronics, which were awarded the contract. The NEA has warned that if the substation is not completed on time, the builders will be held accountable for compensation.
To address the delays, a high-level team from NEA, including NEA's Managing Director Kulman Ghising, visited the construction site to discuss the challenges and progress.
The equipment for the substation, such as power transformers, have already arrived, but the construction needs to be expedited to prevent electricity from Madhyabhotekoshi going to waste.
In the meantime, an alternative arrangement has been made for power supply from Madhyabhotekoshi, but completion of Bahrabise substation is essential for a more stable and long-term solution.
Additionally, the Tamakoshi-Kathmandu transmission line and substations are also under construction to connect the hydroelectric projects to the national grid system with the support of concessional loans from the Asian Development Bank.
A version of this article appears in the print on July 31, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.
