KATHMANDU: A 400 kV substation, one of Nepal’s largest, has been completed in Thana Bharyang, Hetauda Sub-Metropolitan City-11, Makwanpur.
The substation aims to strengthen and expand the country’s electricity transmission and distribution network.
The substation, built on Gas Insulated System (GIS) technology, is the third largest in Nepal and was charged and put into operation on Friday.
Additionally, 220 kV and 132/11 kV substations in Thana Bharyang, part of the Nepal-India Transmission and Trade Project, were also charged on the same day, according to the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA).
The Hetauda substation, along with Dhalkebar and Inaruwa, form the trio of GIS automated substations aimed at enhancing reliable and quality electricity supply across the East-West corridor and facilitating power trade with India.
With the completion of the Hetauda substation, an infrastructure capable of transmitting about 4,000 MW of electricity has been established.
Once the Hetauda-Dalkebar-Inaruwa 400 kV transmission line project is completed, it will enable the flow of 4,000 MW of electricity from Dhalkebar across the East-West corridor, bolstering domestic supply and expanding power trade with India.
While the Dhalkebar-Inaruwa section is in its final phase, the Hetauda-Dhalkebar section is still under construction.
Construction in some areas of Hetauda Sub-Metropolitan City is delayed due to local obstructions, but work continues in unobstructed areas.
NEA Executive Director Kulman Ghising highlighted that the Hetauda substation will enhance reliable and quality electricity supply to Hetauda, Bharatpur, Simara, and Birgunj.
The substation will facilitate the integration of electricity produced from hydropower projects in the central river corridors into the national grid, with surplus power exported to India via the Hetauda-Dhalkebar 400 kV transmission line.
Project Chief Shukra Devkota stated that the substation was built with future expansions in mind.
The 400 kV double circuit transmission line from Ratmate, Nuwakot, under the US-aided Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) project, will be connected to the Hetauda substation.
The Hetauda-Dalkebar-Inaruwa 400 kV substation expansion project was initiated under the National Electricity Development Decade Program with joint investment from the government and NEA.
All three substations under this project have been completed.
The contract for the Hetauda 400 kV substation was signed in December 2018.
Despite delays caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, which impacted the delivery of equipment and technical personnel, the project was completed with an estimated cost of three billion rupees.
The substation construction was financed by government and NEA investments, along with concessional loans from the World Bank under the Nepal-India Transmission and Trade Project.
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