Production of four hydropower projects in Myagdi, Mustang and Parbat has been shut down after the tower of the transmission line collapsed. The tower of Kushma Municipality-8 in Parbat has been disconnected from the transmission line tower and disconnected from the 70.6 MW transmission systems of two projects in Myagdi, one each in Parbat and Mustang.
Tower No. 4 of the 132 KV transmission line connecting Modi substation to the powerhouse of Modikhola-1 Hydropower Project had collapsed due to floods on Friday night.
Upendra Gautam, managing director of United Modi, the promoter of the 10 MW Modi-1 hydropower projects, said that other projects connected to the national transmission line through Modi substation have also been affected. The Modi-1 dam, which has accumulated soil in the 500-meter canal, has also been damaged. Along with Modi-1, the 42-megawatt Mristikhola of Annapurna Rural Municipality -4 Narchang of Myagdi, the 5-megawatt Ghalemdikhola and the 13.6-megawatt Thapakhola Hydropower Project in Thasang Rural Municipality -1 Tukuche of Mustang have stopped production.
Chudamani Niraula, a representative of Mristikhola Hydropower Project, said that the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has lost tens of millions of rupees due to delays in the construction of the diversion tower and repair of collapsed tower. “We were generating 30 to 35 megawatts of electricity as the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) could not consume it,” he said. The 220 KV capacity of the Kaligandaki Corridor transmission line is connected to the Dana substation. Electricity reaching the Modi substation has been distributed in the local area.
The surplus power is being supplied from Modi to Lekhnath substation. NEA has deployed a team including Kedar Silwal, head of distribution and customer service Gandaki regional office, Pokhara, Madhav Poudel, head of Pokhara grid to start the repair work of the tower immediately and ensure smooth power supply. It is stated that the team of NEA, which has brought the electricity service of Mustang, Parbat, Myadi and Baglung districts into operation since Saturday evening, has been continuously working on the transmission line maintenance with priority.
Independent Power Producers Association of Nepal (IPAN) has stated that more than Rs. 10 billion has been destroyed. Shankar Basyal, province member of IPAN, said that the floods have damaged the structures of hydropower projects and transmission and distribution lines under construction and after completion of construction, which has caused huge economic loss to the energy sector.
