An important section of the 220kV Koshi Corridor Transmission Line Project in eastern Nepal has been completed. This section, which is part of the 110-km transmission line, would help evacuate the power from the hydropower projects built along the Tamor river and its tributaries.

The 35-km section of the transmission line connects Basantapur substation in Dharmadevi Municipality of Sankhuwasabha and Dhungesanghu substation at Maiwakhola Rural Municipality of Taplejung, according to the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA).

“It will facilitate the evacuation of power generated by the 73MW Middle Tamor Hydropower Project being developed by Sanima Middle Tamor Hydropower Limited,” said Kul Man Ghising, managing director of NEA.

“Power generated by this project will be evacuated via this 35-km transmission line within a few weeks.”

According to him, a task of installing a bay at the Basantapur substation is underway to enable evacuation of the power.

A bay in an electrical substation is a key functional unit, which allows for the control, protection, and isolation of electric power equipment, facilitating the safe and efficient operation of the power system.

Besides Middle Tamor, other hydropower projects built along the Tamor river and its tributaries, will be connected with this transmission line and the power will be supplied to Morang and Sunsari districts through Inaruwa substation, according to the NEA.

This transmission line was built under package 3 of the Koshi Corridor Project. This package includes the construction of a 35-km 220 kV transmission line from Dhungesanghu to Basantapur and the construction of a 132-33kV substation at Dhungesanghu District.

The contract was awarded to India’s KEC International for Rs24.5 million. Construction of substation is also in the final phase of completion, according to the NEA.

Construction of the transmission line and substation was financed by Export-Import Bank of India.

According to the NEA, the work under package 4 of the project is also underway. This package includes the second circuit stringing of a 35-km long 220 kV transmission line from Dhungesanghu to Basantapur and the construction for four 220kV line bays at the Basantapur Substation.

The contract was awarded to Nepal Hydro & Electric Limited (NHE) in November 2022.

Hailed as a lifeline project in the eastern region, the Koshi corridor project funded through a line of credit worth $250 million from Export-Import Bank of India, is being built to evacuate power from projects along the Arun River, Tamor River and their tributaries that carry a total generation potential over 2000 MW.

The fifth package of the project will also be undertaken with the Exim Bank of India, according to the NEA. The fifth package includes the second circuit stringing of 106-km long 220 kV transmission line from Tumlingtar to Inaruwa via Baneshwar and Basantapur of Sankhuwasabha district.

Under the first package, a 106-km 220 kV transmission line from Tumlingtar to the Inaruwa Substation extending from Baneshwar to Basantapur of Sankhuwasabha district was implemented. And under the second package, 220kV substations at Inaruwa, Sunsari and Tumlingtar, Baneshwar and Basantapur of Sankhuwashbha were built.

Earlier, in 2018 and 2019 the construction of pylons along the 106-km Inaruwa-Tumlingtar transmission route was obstructed by Dharan Metropolis, which claimed that the pylons would have adverse impact on tourism and paragliding in the area.