Kathmandu – Litmus Industries Limited, Nepal’s largest manufacturer of wires, cables, and conductors, has received a significant approval from India’s central transmission authority, Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL), for high-capacity cross-border electricity transmission lines. With this, Litmus has become the only Nepali manufacturer selected for the cross-border transmission project.
Under the agreement, the company will manufacture and supply 2,799 kilometers of 400 kV ACSR ‘Moose’ conductors. These conductors will be used in the under-construction Dhalkeber–Bathnaha cross-border transmission line between Nepal and India, which is associated with the 900 MW Arun III Hydropower Project. Since this will be the first production of 400 kV ACSR Moose conductors in Nepal, it is regarded as a historic achievement for the country’s domestic industrial and technical capability.
Approval Following In-Depth Evaluation
Before being selected for the project, Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL) conducted a detailed technical assessment of Litmus Industries’ production facilities. After a comprehensive review of the manufacturing process, production capacity, quality control systems, testing mechanisms, and infrastructure, the company was approved as a qualified supplier. Being selected through international competition is considered a significant achievement for the Nepali industry.
Boost to Energy Trade and Security
The Dhalkeber–Bathnaha transmission line is a key infrastructure for Nepal–India energy cooperation. Strategically, this line is considered crucial for the management and expansion of electricity trade from the Arun III Hydropower Project. It is expected to strengthen Nepal’s energy security, support industrial development, and expand bilateral electricity trade.
Previous Experience
Litmus Industries has previously supplied 3,600 kilometers of 400 kV ACSR Moose conductors for the Hetauda–Dhalkeber–Inaruwa transmission line. This project is one of the major internal transmission routes under the Nepal Electricity Authority. Industry sources note that this experience has demonstrated the company’s technical reliability.
Company Profile
Litmus Industries Limited, operating under the Ramesh Corp Group since 1977, has been manufacturing wires, cables, and conductors in Nepal for over four decades. The company produces medium-voltage XLPE insulated conductors, ACSR conductors, aerial bundled cables, low-voltage power cables, and control cables.
Through its two state-of-the-art production facilities in Butwal and Nawalparasi, the company operates Nepal’s first aluminum rod manufacturing plant. Its production processes and operations comply with both national and international quality and safety standards.
With the recent approval, Litmus Industries is establishing itself as a reliable supplier in the international market. This clearly signals Nepal’s growing participation in cross-border energy infrastructure development and the expansion of domestic industrial capability.
Urjasanchar