By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Jan. 5: The capacity of the country's largest Dhalkebar substation in Dhanusha has been increased.
The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has added 220/132, 315 MVA capacity power transformer in Dhalkebar under the grid substation capacity enhancement project with the investment of the government.
NEA's Acting Executive Director Hitendra Dev Shakya informed that an additional 315 MVA power transformer connected to the substation was charged Sunday night.
At present, two 220/132 kV transformers are in operation at Dhalekbar substation.
Its capacity is 320 MVA. Now the capacity of the substation has reached 635 MVA, according to a press statement of NEA.
One of the two 315 MVA transformers to be connected to Dhalkebar under the Grid Substation Capacity Building Project has been charged. The remaining one transformer is being connected.
"As soon as the 315 MVA transformer is charged, an additional 100 MW of electricity can be imported from India in winter to meet the domestic demand for electricity,” Shakya said.
After the beginning of generation of 456 MW from Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project, the infrastructure has been set up to export electricity that cannot be consumed internally, he said.
The 400/220 kV Dhalkebar substation, which came into operation a few months ago, has three power transformers with a capacity of 315 MVA and 945 MVA capacity, which can transmit about 900 MW of electricity.
According to Dirghayu Kumar Shrestha, chief of the NEA Transmission Directorate, an additional 100 MW of electricity can be imported through the Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur transmission line as per the agreement with the Indian side, if necessary for the country.
"As our infrastructure is not enough, about 270 to 280 MW of electricity was being imported from there. The Indian side has said that an additional 100 MW of electricity can be supplied through the Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur transmission line,” he said.
The Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur transmission line has been charged at 400 kV. As the 400 kV and 220 kV structures have not been prepared for the flow of electricity in Nepal, the electricity coming from India from the 400 kV transmission line is being converted to 132.
The Hetauda-Dhalkebar-Inaruwa 400 kV transmission line is under construction while the Khimti-Dhalkebar 220 kV transmission line is only in operation at 132 kV, NEA said.
Work is underway to immediately charge Khimti-Dhalkebar at 220 kV. Electricity of 456 MW Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project will be supplied to Dhalkebar through this transmission line.
The electricity of the project will flow smoothly in the national transmission system and the electricity that cannot be consumed within the country will be exported to India.
The electricity from Upper Tamakoshi coming to Dhalkebar substation through 220 kV transmission line can be supplied east and west for internal consumption from there.
In case of excess power in rainy season, it can be exported directly to India through Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur 400 kV cross-border transmission line, it said.
A minimum of 600 MW can be imported if required in winter and the way will be opened for energy banking between the two countries.