SURKHET: As many as five districts of Karnali Province are still deprived of electricity.

According to Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), Karnali Province office in Surkhet, it would take at least two more years to extend the national transmission line to Kalikot, Jumla, Dolpa, Mugu and Humla districts of the province.

Chief Engineer at the NEA province office, Surendra Agrahari, said that necessary process to expand the national transmission line has already been initiated. "We have been making necessary preparations to expand Jajarkot-Dolpa, Kalikot-Jumla and Nagma-Mugu 33 KV transmission line within the current fiscal year."

Agrahari also informed that a target has been set to expand the transmission line at least to the headquarters of these districts within the next two years.

He pointed out that the main reason for not being able to provide electricity in these areas is because of the difficulty in supplying electricity-related materials in these areas due to the geographical barrier and lack of proper road access.

The regional office of NEA which now has been transferred into the provincial office was established in Surkhet on August 27, 2017 to provide electricity access to Karnali region. Only 77,000 households in Karnali Province have been receiving power supply from the national transmission line.

Meanwhile, locals of some of the districts in the province have been lighting their houses through micro-hydropower projects.