Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba on Saturday inaugurated the 220kV New Khimti power substation in a series of inaugurations of transmission lines substations in different parts of the country.

The substation located at Manthali Municipality-13 has been in operation since July last year when the power generated by 456MW Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project was evacuated.

In the last one week, the 132kV Nawalpur substation in Sarlahi was inaugurated on March 15 and 220kV New Butwal substation and 132kV Motipur substations were inaugurated on March 17.

“Construction of all these transmission lines and substations was completed only recently. So they were inaugurated,” said Suresh Bhattarai, the spokesperson at the Nepal Electricity Authority. “There is no need to give political colour to it.”

Power generated by the 456MW Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project has been brought to New Khimti substation through the Gongar-New Khimti Transmission Line.

Likewise, power generated by independent power producers along the Likhu Khola corridor, including the 52.4MW Likhu 4 and 24.2MW Likhu khola A projects have also been connected to the New Khimti substation. The substation is also connected to the Dhalkebar substation in Dhanusha.

In the New Khimti substation, Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project had already installed 220/132 kV, 100 MVA power transformer to evacuate power generated by independent power producers of the Likhu Corridor.

Later, the NEA decided to install an additional 220/132/33kV, 200 MVA power transformer at New Khimti under the New Khimti Augmentation project as part of the Ramechhap-Garjyang-Khimti 132 kV Transmission Line Project because existing capacity was found insufficient to evacuate power from independent power producers of the Likhu and Garjyang corridors.

“It will help improve the quality of power supply and control voltage fluctuations,” said Dirghayu Kumar Shrestha, chief of the transmission directorate at the NEA.

Just last week, Energy Minister Pampha Bhusal inaugurated the 132kV substation constructed at Lalbandi Municipality-1 in Nawalpur of Sarlahi district on March 15.

Earlier, electricity was being supplied through a 33kV line from Dhalkebar and Chandranigahapur substations in Sarlahi. As the 33kV line was very long, there was significant leakage and power supply disruptions were more frequent.

“This is a substation with a bigger capacity which will ensure reliable power supply in the Malangawa, Haripur and Nawalpur areas of Satpari,” said Shrestha. “As there are limited industrial units in Sarlahi, this substation will ensure reliable power supply to households.”

According to the NEA, the main objective of this project is to strengthen the power supply system and improve power transfer capacity to meet increasing demand of Sarlahi district.

Two days later, on March 17, Minister Bhusal also inaugurated two other substations–the 220kV New Butwal substation constructed at Sunwal Municipality-13 of Nawalparasi and 132kv Motipur substation constructed at Banganga Municipality-7 of Kapilvastu.

Currently, the New Butwal substation has been charged with electricity brought in a 132kV transmission line.

“The substation will help evacuate power generated from the Kaligandaki Corridor,” said Shrestha.

The 220kV Kali Gandaki transmission line project is currently under construction.

Likewise, the 132kV Motipur substation was constructed by breaking the long transmission line connecting Butwal and Chanauta. It will improve the quality of the power supply in the Motipur area and control leakage. The government plans to establish an industrial estate in Motipur.

“The high capacity transmission will also help attract industrial establishments there,” said Shrestha.