Kathmandu, 22 January 2077. Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has inaugurated the first section of the Kaligandaki Corridor 220 KV transmission line project from Kushma on the Parbat to Dana in Myagdi. Prime Minister Oli has also inaugurated 220 ÷ 132 KV substation in Kushma Municipality-2 Khurkot and 220 ÷ 132 ÷ 33 KV substation in Annapurna Gaonpalika-3 Dana of Myagdi under the same project. Prime Minister Oli inaugurated the transmission line and two substations from Kathmandu through virtual method on Thursday.
Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, Minister for Industry, Tourism and Environment of Gandaki Vikas Lamsal, Working Executive Director of Nepal Electricity Authority Hitendra Dev Shakya, Deputy Executive Directors Ramji Bhandari, Dirghayu Kumar Shrestha and Manoj Silwal were present at the inauguration program.
Addressing the inauguration program in a virtual manner, Prime Minister Oli said that Nepal has reached the stage of exporting electricity after the end of load shedding. He said that Nepal would be able to earn income by selling electricity to neighbouring countries after the completion of projects under construction for power generation and transmission.
Minister Rayamajhi directed NEA to focus on the construction of the second section as the construction of the first section of the transmission line has been completed and is now operational.
The construction of Kaligandaki Corridor Transmission Line has been started with the investment of Government of Nepal and NEA and concessional loan from the Asian Development Bank for the flow of hydropower projects to be constructed in Kaligandaki and its tributaries. A transmission line is also being constructed from Kushma to Nawalparasi’s Bhumhi (New Butwal substation) under the second section of the corridor.
Kamu Executive Director Shakya said that the infrastructure of the transmission line has been prepared for the power flow of the hydropower project under construction in the Kaligandaki river basin and to be constructed in the coming days. He mentioned that every effort is being made to expedite the construction of the second section.
The first section of the 39.6 km long transmission line has 110 towers. There will be 114 towers in this section, including four to be constructed by the 40 MW Raghuganga Hydropower Project being constructed by NEA through a subsidiary company.
Three power transformers of 33.33 MVA and one power transformer of 25 MVA have been connected to Dana Dana substation. Three 33.33 MVA and 100 ÷ 100 MVA transformers have been connected to Khurkot substation. Electricity will be distributed in the area through these substations.
A contract worth Rs 2.74 billion was signed on April 24, 2016 with Tata Project and Chint Electric Company’s joint venture (JV) for the construction of the first section and substations of the project, which is being carried out through the project management directorate of the authority. The company had started construction on May 30, 2016. The consultant of the project is Power Grid Corporation of India.
