By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Feb. 15: The Solu Corridor 132 kV double circuit transmission line, constructed to supply electricity generated from the hydropower projects of the Solukhola area to the national grid, has come into operation since Monday.

The transmission line, which was built with the investment of the government of Nepal and a concessional loan from the Export-Import Bank of India (EXIM), was brought into operation by charging it Monday morning.
The length of the transmission line from Mirchaiya of Siraha to Udaypur, Okhaldhunga and Tinla of Dudhkund Municipality of Solukhumbu is 90 kilometers and the number of towers is 302, according to the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA).

Under the Solu corridor transmission line project, substations of 132/33 kV of 30 MVA capacity and 33/11 kV of 8 MVA capacity have been constructed in Tinla.
The substation construction has been completed and is operational from August, 2019. Electricity will be supplied to Solukhumbu, Okhaldhunga and Khotang from the Tinla substation.
Managing Director of NEA Kul Man Ghising said that there was some delay in the construction of the project due to dispute over selection of contractor, interim order of the Supreme Court, obstruction from locals demanding change of the route and difficult geographical conditions.

“Infrastructure has been prepared for the flow of electricity from private sector hydropower projects in the Solu River Basin. The problem of 23.5 MW Solu Khola that could not run at full capacity even after the completion of construction and other hydropower projects under construction has now been solved," he said.

"Once the project's electricity flows into the Solu corridor, it can be diverted from Mirchaiya to Saptari, Sunsari, Morang and other districts to supply power. It will also be easier to export surplus electricity to India from Dhalkebar substation," he said.

He said that the electricity service in Solukhumbu, Okhaldhunga and Khotang will be reliable and leakage will be reduced as electricity will be directly supplied from Tinla substation.
Electricity of 23.5 MW Solu Khola, 18 MW Upper Solu, 86 MW Solu Khola (Dudhkoshi), 82 MW Lower Solu Khola and other hydropower projects will be connected to Tinla substation, the NEA said.
The NEA has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) of 325 MW with 12 hydropower projects in the area after the construction of this transmission line.

The 23.5 MW Solu Khola Hydropower Project was temporarily connected to the 33 kV line from January last year after the construction of the Solu corridor transmission line was delayed.
There was obstruction in Katari Municipality-4, Maruwa of Udayapur for two years demanding relocation of the transmission line.

Project Chief Janardan Gautam said that many problems and obstacles were created in the construction of the Solu corridor transmission line and other projects should be constructed by learning lessons from it.
A contract agreement was signed with the Indian company Mohan Energy in March 2016 for the construction of the transmission line.
The contract agreement was implemented from September 2016.