LAMJUNG: Midim Khola Micro Hydropower Project constructed in Karaputar of Madhya Nepal Municipality in Lamjung district has been connected to the National Transmission Line (grid) after Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) approved of connecting small hydropower projects with less than 100-kilowatt (KW) capacity to the national grid.

The 100-KW capacity project was connected to the 11 KV transmission line at Bhorletar with the technical support of Motherland Energy Group and Power Tech Nepal, according to Krishna Prasad Devkota, chairperson of the Group. The electricity generated from the project was successfully connected to the grid after the technical team conducted a 15-day test.

Three micro hydel projects, in addition to Midim Khola micro hydel, have already been connected to the central transmission line after NEA Board took a decision to this effect on July 2014.

According to NEA, 23-KW Syaurebhume Khola hydel project in Nuwakot, 40-KW Leguwa Khola hydel project in Dhankuta, and 90-KW Suguwa Khola hydel project in Taplejung have been connected to the 11 KV transmission line.

Currently, only 28 per cent of the electricity generated through small-scale hydropower projects have been utilised; to prevent wastage of the remaining 72 per cent, there is no alternative other than connecting them to the national grid, Jeevan Kumar Mallik, grid connection specialist at Renewal Energy Programme for Rural Livelihood, said.

He further added that as the current Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) does not address the issue of electricity exchange, trading of electricity through Power Exchange (PE) should be introduced.

The  process of connecting micro hydel projects to the grid are similar to other large-scale projects, therefore there is a need to simplify the process that could be completed by simply filling the general form, claimed Devkota who is also the Chairperson of Nepal Micro Hydropower Development Association (NMHDA).

He further claimed that only after all micro hydropower projects are connected to the national grid, would the investment poured into the energy sector by government, donors and public be secured.

(Translated by: Sandeep Sen, Edited by: Priyanka Adhikari)