Kathmandu: Restoration of the electricity system damaged by floods in the Budhigandaki River and its tributary, the Syar Khola, has been expedited. Electricity supply, which was disrupted by the floods, has resumed in all areas except Dharche Rural Municipality, where repair and restoration work began on Tuesday morning.
According to the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, restoration efforts have been challenging due to the lack of road access to areas above Khorlabesi and extensive damage to electricity lines. The ministry said efforts were underway to restore electricity to the affected areas as soon as possible. Work is being carried out with the target of resuming power supply up to Khorlabesi by Tuesday.
Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Minister Biraj Bhakta Shrestha said the repair and restoration of electricity infrastructure damaged by the floods had been prioritized. The Nepal Electricity Authority’s (NEA) Arughat Distribution Centre also confirmed that restoration work in Dharche Rural Municipality began early Tuesday morning.
Electricity services have already resumed in various locations across the flood-affected Arughat area. According to Ministry spokesperson Mohan Shakya, the NEA began repair work immediately after the floods disrupted power supply. Electricity services were restored within approximately 10 hours in wards 2, 3 and 4 of Bhimsen Thapa Rural Municipality in Gorkha.
Similarly, power supply has resumed in Arughat Bazaar, as well as the Dandagaun and Arupokhari branches of Arughat Rural Municipality. The ministry aims to restore electricity services in all flood-affected areas within this week.
Damage to Distribution Systems and Hydropower Projects
The floods have damaged electricity distribution infrastructure and hydropower projects at various locations in Gorkha and Dhading districts. According to the Ministry of Energy, damage has been reported at the Budhigandaki hydropower project, Times Energy Pvt. Ltd. (341 MW), Dobhan Khola (24.5 MW), Yaru Khola (30.59 MW) and Machha Khola (16 MW), among other projects.
The ministry said the floods had damaged project camp facilities, construction equipment and materials, Bailey bridges, access roads and bridges leading to project sites. The damage has added to the challenges of restoring electricity services and resuming construction activities at the affected projects.
More than 70 high-voltage poles have been damaged at various locations in Dharche Rural Municipality, Gorkha. Electricity distribution poles have also been damaged in Soti, Arkhet and the Arughat Bazaar area. Similarly, six low-voltage poles were damaged in the Syauli Bazaar area of Ward 2 of Tripurasundari Rural Municipality in Dhading, according to the ministry.
Following extensive damage to the electricity distribution system, the NEA has continued repair and restoration work in the affected areas. However, restoring services in locations where road access is unavailable and electricity lines have been completely damaged is expected to take additional time.
Nepalpurbadhar
