Kathmandu, July 11 — Electricity began successfully flowing through the Markichok–Bharatpur 220 kV transmission line at 3:00 pm on Saturday, marking the completion of a long-delayed project that had been stalled for years due to construction obstacles. With the line now operational, the power transmission network from Chitwan to Hetauda, Butwal, and Kohalpur is expected to become more balanced, reliable, and efficient.
Constructed under the Marsyangdi Corridor 220 kV Transmission Line Project, the approximately 67-kilometre double-circuit transmission line connects the New Marsyangdi Substation at Markichok in Aanbukhaireni, Tanahun, to the New Bharatpur Substation at Aampatari in Bharatpur Metropolitan City, Chitwan. The project had remained incomplete for an extended period because a transmission tower in the Markichok area could not be constructed.
On June 20, Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Biraj Bhakta Shrestha inspected the construction site and directed local representatives, the district administration, and project officials to coordinate efforts to remove the remaining obstacles. Following the completion of the tower construction, the transmission line has now been commissioned.
With the line in operation, authorities expect a significant reduction in frequent power trips and brief outages (“power flickering”) that have affected the region. The project is also expected to improve the reliability of the national transmission system and provide consumers with a more stable and higher-quality electricity supply.
Minister Shrestha said that during the monsoon season, all electricity generated by private hydropower projects along the Marsyangdi Corridor can now be transmitted smoothly to the national grid via Bharatpur. He added that hydropower plants previously forced to limit generation due to transmission constraints will now be able to operate at full capacity.
He described the project as a major achievement in integrating clean energy generated through cooperation between the government and the private sector into the national grid. According to the minister, the transmission line will further strengthen Nepal’s energy self-sufficiency and energy security.
The Markichok–Bharatpur 220 kV transmission line was built with loan assistance from European development partners and joint investment from the Government of Nepal and the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA). With the project now in operation, electricity generated by hydropower plants along the Marsyangdi Corridor is expected to flow more efficiently into the national transmission system, making Nepal’s power network more reliable and effective.
Nepalpurbadhar
