The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has taken initiative to complete the construction of transmission and distribution lines, as well as substation projects as soon as possible to provide the required amount of electricity to big industries.
The power utility has given high priority to infrastructure expansion to increase electricity consumption.
The NEA has forwarded a plan to increase the power consumption of the industries as they are unable to provide electricity as per the demand due to lack of capacity of transmission and distribution lines and are facing financial loss.
Under the short-term plan, the industries demanding electricity will be provided electricity immediately by strengthening the transmission and distribution lines and the work of the projects under construction will be completed as soon as possible, according to NEA.
Under the long-term plan, construction of transmission and distribution lines and substations will be started by identifying the possible places where electricity consumption may increase.
After the industrialists complained that they did not get enough electricity, NEA Managing Director Kul Man Ghising inspected Hetauda, Simara, Birgunj, Bharatpur, Parasi and Bhairahawa Industrial Corridor on Saturday and Sunday.
Transmission line and substation projects are under construction to supply adequate electricity to the industries operating in the area in the coming days.
“On the one hand, we are wasting millions of rupees on a daily basis by not being able to consume the electricity produced in the country. On the other hand, we are not able to supply the required amount of electricity to the industries due to lack of infrastructure. We want to end this painful situation,” he said.
He urged all concerned to help in completing the work of the projects on time in the current challenging situation of increasing power consumption.
Work is underway to add new towers to the Hetauda-Parwanipur 66 kV double circuit transmission line and increase the capacity of the old conductor line to make the power supply of industries in Simara and Birgunj areas reliable.
Ghising also discussed the possibility of constructing a new substation in the Piluwa area of Bara from the Hetauda-Dhalkebar 400 kV transmission line under construction and supplying additional feeders from the substation in Amalekhgunj.
The 132/33 kV substation is under construction in Sunwal to supply electricity to industries operating in Parasi area of Napalparasi. The construction of the substation is targeted to be completed within the next four months.
“Once the substation is operational, an additional 90 MW can be supplied to the power industry and the supply will be reliable,” said Ghising.
The construction of Butwal-Lumbini 132 kV transmission line and Mainhiya 132/ 33 / 11 kV substation has reached the final stage to supply electricity to the industries in Bhairahawa Industrial Corridor of Rupandehi.
Electricity to Hongshi Cement within three months
Hongshi Cement, which has been opened with Chinese investment, will be able to get electricity within three months.
As there will be some delay in the construction of Bardaghat-Sardi 132 KV transmission line project being constructed for the industry, alternative arrangements are being made to supply electricity.
The supply of power to Hongshi Cement is being provided by tapping from the middle section of the Bharatpur-Bardaghat 220 kV transmission line.
Ghising has requested officials of the industry to make necessary preparations as the power can be supplied within three months.
Hongshi Cement is currently generating electricity through diesel due to lack of line.
As the industry is expanding its capacity, Hongshi alone needs about 80 megawatts of electricity.
Source : TRN,
