Kathmandu, August 26:

The Load Dispatch Centre has pointed out that in case the Middle Marshy-angdi is not completed by Bhadra 2065 and if nothing else is inducted into the system, the average loadshedding in dry season in 2064/65 could reach 11 hours per week.

The current loadshedding hours is thus not going to be reduced. “Even in the monsoon, we are facing a weekly power cut of four hours. That will not be increased immediately; but since we have not been able to generate more energy as per the demand, there is slim chance of loadshedding hours going down,” Spokesperson for the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), Dandapani Basyal, told this daily.

During peak hours in the wet season, the demand for electricity rises to 640 MW, and during off-peak hours it is 380 MW, while the available supply of power is 598 MW. During the dry season, in peak hours the demand rises to 714 MW, whereas the supply is 360 MW and in off-peak time there is a demand of 400 MW, while the supply is 315 MW. The Kulekhani plant cannot be run the whole day, given the available capacity.

One alternative to address the load-shedding problem facing the country is prompt completion of the construction of Bardghat-Hetauda 220 KV Transmission Line (T/L) to elevate power supply.

Speaking at an interaction programme, organised on Thursday by the Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Sher Singh Bhat, Chief of Load Dispatch Centre, NEA,

had said, “Without completion of the Bardghat-Hetauda T/L, not much can be done.”

Bhat also pointed out that the TL should be extended up to Pathlaiya; both circuits of Pathlaiya-Parwanipur should be converted to 220 KV or a new 132 KV D/C T/L should be extended up to Simra from Hetauda, which may later be converted to 220 KV.

For better management of power distribution to the industries, he recommended establishing a separate industrial area near Simra and industries in western parts. However, “all this is contingent upon completion of the Bardghat-Hetauda project,” he said.