Kathmandu, 20 March 2022 The construction of Mainhiya-Sampatiya 132 KV (double circuit transmission line) connecting Nepal and Uttar Pradesh of India is 60 percent complete.
Work is in full swing to complete the construction of the transmission line from Rupandehi’s Mainhiya substation to Sampatiya (New Nautanuwa) substation in Uttar Pradesh, India by next July.
The foundations of 44 of the 96 towers in the 28-kilometer transmission line have been laid. Five towers have been erected. Compensation for the land in the transmission line has been determined. The equipment of the transmission line has been brought to the project site.
A team comprising Secretary at the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Devendra Karki, operators of Nepal Electricity Authority, Executive Director and Deputy Executive Director has visited the construction site of the project. The team has instructed the project management to complete the construction on time as this line is important for electricity trade between Nepal and India.
The Sixth Meeting of the Joint Steering Committee on Energy Secretary level meeting between Nepal and India held in Pokhara in Jan, 2019 agreed to construct New Nautanuwa-Mainhiya 132 KV transmission line between Uttar Pradesh and Nepal of India. It was decided to connect the line to New Nautanuwa (Sampatiya, India) substation.
NEA Executive Director Kulman Ghising said that 132 kV transmission line is being constructed to facilitate inland electricity trade as Uttar Pradesh has only 33 kV transmission structure at present.
“This line is important for Nepal to import if needed and to export the surplus electricity consumed here to Uttar Pradesh,” Ghising said. “After the completion of the line, 132 KV transmission infrastructure will be ready with Uttar Pradesh of India, which will facilitate and expand electricity trade between the two countries.”
The Government of Nepal has invested in the project which is estimated to cost around USD 8 million. The transmission line starting from Mainhiya 132 KV substation will be constructed up to Marchwar (Shrirampur) border point with India.
Hari Pandey, head of the project, said that two bays and 3-4 towers should be constructed at the substation to connect the line to India. Pandey said that Nepal had agreed to provide funds for the project and the Indian side had agreed to work.
Construction of Butwal-Lumbini transmission line in final stage
The 132 kV double circuit transmission line project under construction from Yogikuti (Butwal) to Mainhiya has reached the final stage to improve the power supply and control technical leakage in Bhairahawa area of Rupandehi. The overall construction progress of the project is 95 percent.
Of the 56 towers in the 18-kilometer transmission line, 55 have been completed. 10 kilometers of wire has been hung. Work is underway to make 2 km of transmission line underground in Butwal market area. One of the two 132 ÷ 33 KV, 45 MVA capacity power transformers to be installed at Mainhiya substation has already been connected. The remaining one 33 ÷ 11 KV, 16 MVA power transformer is being brought to the project site. Work is underway to bring the transmission line and substation into operation within two months.
