Kathmandu, June 10: The construction of Hetauda-Dhalkebar-Inaruwa 400 kV transmission line, which is considered important for the expansion of electricity trade between Nepal and India, has been completed. The project was built to strengthen and make reliable electricity transmission system within the country.
According to Nepal Electricity Corporation (NEA), the construction of 154 km 400 KV double circuit transmission line from Dhalkebar in Dhanusha to Bhokraha Narsingh Rural Municipality-4 Inaruva Substation in Sunsari has been completed. “About four thousand megawatts of electricity can be transmitted through this transmission line. The construction of the 288 km transmission line from Hetauda substation to Inaruwa substation at Thanabhayang located in Hetauda sub-metropolitan city-11 of Makawanpur was divided into two sections and the construction started. The transmission line is divided into two sections, Hetauda-Dhalkebar 134 km and Dhalkebar-Inaruwa 154 km. Out of this, the construction of Dhalkebar-Inaruwa section has been completed,” NEA said. Hetauda-Dhalkebar section is under construction.
Executive Director of NEA Kulman Ghising informed that the completion of construction of Dhalkebar-Inaruwa section is an important achievement to make the overall transmission system of the country that will be reliable and increase the volume of electricity trade between Nepal and India. Currently, the amount of electricity import-export through the Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur international transmission line, which is in operation, is only 800 megawatts. Now, after the construction of Dhalkebar-Inaruwa section is completed, the volume of electricity trade can be increased. The electricity coming to Inaruwa substation via Koshi Corridor can be consumed in that area and in case of surplus, it can be brought to Dhalkebar through Inaruwa transmission line and exported to India.
“With the current capacity of 132 kV transmission line, there was a problem in sending electricity from Dhalkebar to Inaruwa in winter season when it could not handle the load. The line itself was in a state of breaking due to not being able to handle the load. Now, since enough electricity can be sent from the 400 KV transmission line, the voltage has improved and mainly Morang-Sunsari Industrial area, the electricity supply of the corridor will be improved,” he said.
Inaruwa 400 KV substation has been completed and put into operation. In order to improve the overall power supply of the Sunsari-Morang Industrial Corridor, the process of replacing the old conductors of Inruwa-Duhavi 132 KV transmission line with high capacity (HTLS) has already started. This will increase the current capacity of the transmission line which can transmit about 200 megawatts of electricity and will be almost doubled. A 132 kV transmission line from Inaruwa to Barju and a 132 kV substation at Barju are under construction.
From Inruwa substation, Inruwa-Purnia (India) for electricity trade with India and Inruwa-Anaramani (Jhapa) 400 kV transmission line for trade between Nepal, India and Bangladesh have been proposed. Korean Export Import (Exim) Bank is providing concessional loans for the construction of Inaruwa-Anarmani transmission line. Four hundred and 17 towers have been constructed on the Dhalkebar-Inaruwa section. A total of 11 towers have been constructed in the river to make the transmission line cross Saptakoshi river. A 24-32 meter deep pile foundation has been laid for the five kilometer transmission line on the Koshi River. Two years ago, the construction of the transmission line became complicated when a tower erected by the Koshi River was swept away by the flood.
Project Director Shyam Kumar Yadav said that the construction has been affected due to Corona epidemic, Koshi flood, obstruction of the construction by locals demanding to change the route of the transmission line, interim order of the Supreme Court, land use and tree felling approval process in the forest area. He mentioned that due to the interim order of the Apex Court in the line area of Siraha, the work was stopped for four years and the project had to undergo preliminary environmental assessment (IEE) three times. He said that since the construction of the Dhalkebar-Inaruwa section has been completed, all the manpower will be mobilized to construct the Dhalkebar-Hetauda section. Currently, the work of laying the wire of the transmission line from Dhalkebar to Hetauda is going on. So far 45 km of wire has been laid.
Some locals of Hatiya area located in Hetauda sub-metropolis-15, 16 and 17 have been obstructing the construction for about seven years, demanding to shift the route of the transmission line. 16 towers are yet to be constructed, 14 in Hatiya area and two in Hetaida-11 Thanabhanjyang.
About five billion rupees have been spent only on the compensation of the right of way in the Dhalkebar-Inaruwa section. The estimated cost of the project is 170 million US dollars, with the investment of the Nepal government and authorities and concessional loans from the World Bank.
