Kathmandu, September 08, 2024: The construction of the Chilime-Trishuli 220 kV transmission line, which is being built to transmit electricity generated from hydropower projects under construction and to be constructed in the Trishuli River and its tributaries, has reached its final stage.
The final stages of construction of the 28-kilometer transmission line from Chilime Hub Substation in Thambuchet, Amachodingmo Rural Municipality, Rasuwa to Trishuli Three B Hub Substation in Phirebhensi, Kispang Rural Municipality, Nuwakot are underway.
Construction is underway to complete the remaining works of the transmission line and put it into operation before Dashain. The 220/132/33 kV Chilime Hub and Trishuli Three B Hub substations have already been completed under the Chilime-Trishuli 220 kV transmission line project.
Of the 76 towers on the transmission line, 75 have been completed. The installation of one tower is in the final stage. Out of 28 kilometers of transmission line, only five kilometers of wire is left to be strung. About 200 workers are mobilized to install the towers and string the remaining wire.
A high-level team including Kulman Ghising, Managing Director of Nepal Electricity Authority, and Dirghayu Kumar Shrestha, Deputy Managing Director of Transmission Directorate, conducted a field inspection of the transmission line construction work on Saturday and set a deadline to complete the work before Dashain.
The team has requested the project management, consultants, and contracting companies to expedite the work by adding more workers without delay and has set a schedule to complete all the remaining works and instructed them to perform accordingly. The team also inspected the site where the final tower was being installed and where the wire was yet to be strung.
The electricity generated from the 111 MW Rasuwagadhi and 42.5 MW Sanjen hydropower projects, constructed under the leadership of the Nepal Electricity Authority’s subsidiary company, Chilime Hydropower, will be connected to this transmission line. Both projects have been completed and are in the process of generating electricity. This has also put pressure on the NEA to complete the construction of the transmission line as soon as possible.
Kulman Ghising, Managing Director of the NEA, said that the transmission line, which is being constructed in a very risky and difficult Himalayan region, is now about to be completed after continuous efforts. “As this line could not be built, two hydropower projects have not been able to start generating electricity. Despite the difficult geographical conditions, the construction of the line has reached the final stage. Let’s all make a final effort to complete the remaining work and complete the construction before Dashain,” said Ghising.
A 1,235-meter-long wire needs to be strung from Tiru in UttarGaya Rural Municipality-1 to Siruchet in the same ward. The wire will be strung using a drone over the Mailung Khola. All preparations have been completed for the Mailung crossing.
Due to the extremely risky and difficult mountainous terrain where the towers had to be built, the absence of roads, and the need to carry stones, gravel, sand, tower materials, and water by people or pack animals, as well as floods, landslides, poor performance of contractors, problems in using forest land, local obstructions, and the COVID-19 pandemic, the construction of the project has been affected. Since the construction site is in the Himalayan and mountainous regions, the weather has also had an adverse impact on the construction of the line.
The transmission line has been constructed in an area ranging from 680 to 2600 meters above sea level. 33 towers had to be constructed in places where there was no access road. Separate access roads were built to reach those places. The project has built more than 20 kilometers of access roads for the construction of the line.
Nine towers were constructed by transporting construction materials and equipment by pack animals and people. Two towers were constructed by transporting construction materials by helicopter.
Under the transmission line, 20 kilometers of double circuit and 8 kilometers of four (multi) circuit lines have been constructed between Chilime and Mailung and Mailung and Trishuli Three B Hub.
The multi-circuit line is being built to connect the electricity of the 216 MW Upper Trishuli-1 Hydropower Project, which is being constructed under the leadership of Korean companies. Upper Trishuli-1 will bear 60% of the cost of building the multi-circuit line.
A contract for the construction of the transmission line and substation was signed with the Chinese company Pinggao Group of Companies, in October 2017. The contract came into effect in December 2017.
