MYAGDI: Flooding in the Kaligandaki River has swept away three towers of the Dana-Khurkot transmission line, a 220-kV line under the Kaligandaki Corridor, in Annapurna Rural Municipality of Myagdi district.
Damage to the transmission line towers and wires has affected power generation and transmission from six hydropower projects with a combined capacity of 176 MW operating in Myagdi and Mustang.
Annapurna Rural Municipality-2 Ward Chair Om Phagami said the flood swept away two transmission line towers beyond Bhirkate in Dowa, Annapurna Rural Municipality-1, and one tower at Dhirchyang.
The 5-MW Ghalemdi Khola, 42-MW Mristikhola, 38-MW Nilgiri-1, 71-MW Nilgiri-2 and 6-MW Rele Khola hydropower projects in Narchyang, Annapurna Rural Municipality-4, which have been supplying electricity to the national grid through the Dana-Khurkot transmission line, have been shut down.
Similarly, electricity generated by the 14-MW Thapa Khola Hydropower Project in Tukche, Mustang, has not yet been connected to the national grid. Meanwhile, the 14-MW Gharkhola Hydropower Project in Pokharebagar, Annapurna Rural Municipality-4, has remained shut since the last week of Shrawan after its powerhouse was buried by a landslide.
The transmission line towers were damaged by flooding in the Kaligandaki River following rainfall from Asoj 8 to 11. The flood has also eroded several sections of the Beni-Jomsom road under the Kaligandaki Corridor.
According to journalist Ganesh Gurung (Suren), who walked from Beni to Shik via Pokharebagar on Monday, several sections of the Beni-Pokharebagar road have subsided, been eroded or covered by landslides. He also said electricity wires and poles had been damaged.
The 180-MW Kaligandaki Garg and 66-MW Madhya Kaligandaki hydropower projects under construction in Annapurna Rural Municipality have also been affected by the floods and landslides.
Roshan Khadka, chief of the Nepal Electricity Authority’s Pokhara Grid, said the transmission line towers between Dana in Annapurna Rural Municipality-3 and Pokharebagar had been damaged by the disaster. He said a technical team had been sent by road to conduct an on-site inspection of the damage.
Khadka said the authority was coordinating efforts to adopt alternative arrangements to supply electricity to northern Myagdi and Mustang while simultaneously moving ahead with reconstruction of the damaged transmission line.
The flood and landslides have also damaged structures of the old 33-kV transmission line. Although efforts are underway to supply electricity to Mustang from the Dana Substation, the authority said it has been difficult to assess the condition of the damaged towers due to problems with road access and communication.
Road connectivity to Mustang has been disrupted due to the floods and landslides. The disruption of mobile and internet services amid the power shortage has further affected daily life in the district. Local authorities said electricity, road and transportation services have also been disrupted in rural areas of Mustang, Myagdi and Baglung.
Nepalpurbadhar
