Kathmandu, August 13

Owing to the incessant rainfall since last few days, the distribution system of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has been completely damaged in the eastern region, while power supply across the country has also been affected.

According to Kulman Ghising, managing director of NEA, substations located at Duhabi of Sunsari, Damak and Anarmani of Jhapa have been inoperable due to floods since Friday morning. Likewise, tower number 17 of the Damak-Godhak 132 kV transmission line has collapsed, which has disrupted the supply of electricity generated by independent power producers in Ilam.

“We have been unable to supply electricity to the eastern part of the country, as substations have been inundated by the floods, which has affected the transmission and distribution systems as well,” Ghising said.

According to him, it would take around seven days for the NEA to restore electricity supply to the eastern region once the water level recedes and maintenance works can be carried out.

Moreover, the power supply to the Hetauda industrial area has also been affected as the 66 kV transmission tower located near Hetauda Cement Industry suffered damages due to the landslides.

NEA has also shut down Chapur-Pathalaiya, Balaju-Trishuli, Dhalkebar-Chapur and Raxaul-Parwanipur transmission lines due to floods and landslides.

While the floods have turned the lives of public topsy-turvy, the power demand has taken a dive due to disruptions of transmission lines.

According to NEA, only two megawatts of electricity has been utilised through Lahan substation, against the normal demand of 36 megawatts. Likewise, NEA has supplied one megawatt of electricity through Dhalkebar substation against average demand of 35 megawatts; 1.5 megawatt supplied through Gaur, Haripur and Nijgadh substations against the normal demand of 32 megawatts; and seven megawatts have been supplied through Birgunj substation against average daily demand of 20 megawatts.

Ghising further informed that NEA has supplied only two megawatts through Hetauda substation against 12 megawatts of average demand. The floods have completely damaged the Bharatpur and Parsa substations.

Due to lower demand, NEA has reduced the quantum of electricity imported from India. NEA is importing only seven to 33 megawatts of power through Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur transmission line against daily import of 100 MW earlier. Likewise, electricity import from Bihar and Tanakpur has been halted.

NEA has also reduced the production capacity of powerhouses. Only 100 megawatts of electricity is being produced from Kaligandaki A hydropower against its capacity of 144 MW.

Likewise, the capacity of Middle Marsyangdi has been reduced to 25 MW from 70 MW; Marsyangdi reduced to 32 MW from 69 MW; Trishuli and Chilime reduced to seven megawatts each from 35 MW and 22 MW, respectively; and the capacity of Devighat Power Project has dropped to five megawatts from normal capacity of 14 MW.

The Gandak Powerhouse has remained shut due to the floods.