By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, June 5: About 1.25 MW power generated from the under-construction solar plant in Nuwakot by the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has been connected to the national grid.
Out of the total installed capacity of 25 MW Solar Plant Project being constructed in Nuwakot district, solar panel with capacity of 1.25 MW power came into operation from Wednesday. The power generated from the Solar Plant Project has been linked to the national grid system connecting in sub-station of Devighat Power House.
The power would be generated from the solar plant during the sunny days; the battery is not installed in the plant.
The 25 MW Solar Plant Project being constructed in Nuwakot is the largest solar plant of the country to be connected to the national grid.
According to Kul Man Ghising, managing director of NEA, additional 10 MW power generated from the project will be connected to the national grid within one-and-a-half months. The remaining power generation under the project would take time.
He said that the work for the installation of other solar plants under the project was moving ahead but it would take time for the installation of solar panels as approval of Initial Environment Examination (IEE) was in process.
“The prolonged nationwide lockdown caused by the coronavirus has affected the construction of the solar plants and power generation. The project had a target to connect about 15 MW power from the project within mid-May this year,” said Ghising.
The panels of 10 MW capacity are set up in the empty land near the NEA Employees’ Residence Area and additional panels of 5 MW capacity are installed in three places in the periphery of Devighat Hydropower Centre. Now, the 1.25 MW power generated from a place out of three places at periphery of Devighat Hydropower Centre.
Around 275 watt power will be generated from a single solar panel. Around 20 ropanies of land is used to install the panels for generating one megawatt power, NEA said.
The construction work of the 66/33 KV new sub-station is going on to link power generated from the solar plant installed at Devighat Hydropower Station.