Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has increased the capacity of 220 kV New Khimti substation located in Sankhe (Phulasi) of Manthali Municipality-13 of Ramechhap district.
In the 220/132 kV substation, there is only a power transformer of 100 MVA capacity, and an auto transformer of 200 MVA has been added, according to the NEA.
Along with this, the capacity of 200-132 kV substations has increased to 300 MVA. The added transformer was charged and brought into operation on Tuesday.
The capacity of the substation has been increased under the Ramechhap (Gajryang)-New Khimti transmission line project with the investment of the government and the Authority.
The electricity from the 132 kV transmission line will be increased to 220 kV from the transformer installed in New Khimti and will be transmitted to Dhalkebar through the Khimti-Dhalkebar 220 kV transmission line, said the NEA.
According to the NEA, a new transformer was added after the capacity of the power transformer installed in the New Khimti substation was not enough for the electricity supply coming from the 132 kV transmission line.
The capacity of the substation was insufficient when the electricity generated from the hydropower projects constructed and planned in the Tamakoshi, Khimti and Likhu River was added into the New Khimti through the 132 kV transmission line.
Due to this, the electricity of some of the hydroelectric projects built mainly on the Likhu River was not able to supply completely.
Support to increase in export volume
Managing Director of NEA Kul Man Ghising said that with the commissioning of the new transformers installed at the New Khimti substation, the problem of electricity flow faced by the hydropower projects operating in the Likhu River corridor has been solved.
After the capacity of the New Khimti substation was unable to bear load, arrangements were made to connect the electricity of some hydropower projects constructed in the Likhu corridor under a short-term plan.
Ghising said, “With the commissioning of the new transformer, all the problems have been solved, the situation where electricity cannot flow due to lack of infrastructure has come to an end, there will be no problem even if new projects are coming. Now the amount of electricity exported to India will also increase.”
Anup Gautam, chief of the project, said that the electricity generated by the hydropower projects constructed in the Tamakoshi, Khimti and Likhu River basins has been arranged for local supply by creating a new infrastructure at the New Khimti substation.
He said that after starting to provide electricity from the substation, the consumers would get sufficient, reliable and quality supply.
The remaining electricity supplied locally has been supplied to Dhalkebar in Dhanusha through 220 kV transmission line and to Lamosanghu substation in Sindhupalchowk through 132 kV line.
The 220 kV New Khimti substation was constructed by the Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project.
The project had placed only 100 MV power transformer. The 132/33/11 kV substation built locally for power supply has been operational since June.
The construction of 132/33 kV substation infrastructure in New Khimti was started in fiscal year 2019/20. The cost of the substation is around Rs. 800 million.
