Nepal is making strides in producing green energy, specially the electricity and building transmission lines necessary to distribute power across the country and export it to neighbours. It has attached top priority to tapping immense hydropower key to industrialisation and commercialisation of agro sector. It requires huge investment and sophisticated technology to generate electricity and high-powered transmission lines. The country has gradually overcome the shortage of investment to construct the hydro projects. In July last year, it completed the construction of 456 MW Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower project. Constructed with the domestic capital, the largest power plant has become a model project in terms of investment which was raised through the issuance of shares. The reservoir-based power plant has boosted the confidence of domestic investors and increased the prospects of earning foreign exchanges through the export of electricity.

However, the bid to distribute electricity across the country and beyond may hit a snag if there are no reliable transmission lines in place. Against this backdrop, the construction and operation of 220/132 kV New Khimti substation at Sankhe of Manthali Municipality-13, in Ramechhap district is a milestone in enhancing the energy infrastructure. According to the news report of this daily, the New Khimti substation, which has the capacity to supply up to 1,200-MW electricity, will connect power generated from Tamakoshi and its tributaries. Likewise, electricity produced from 60 MW Khimti I, 52.4 MW Likhu IV and 24.2 MW Likhu Khola A are hooked up to this substation. The electricity connected to the New Khimti has been taken from the 76-km 220 kV transmission line to the 400/220/132 kV substation to Dhalkebar. Nepal has exported electricity to the southern neighbour through Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur cross-border transmission line. New Khimti substation distributes electricity to 132 kV substation at Lamosanghu in Sindhupalchowk which is linked to the national grid.

The other day, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba inaugurated the country’s second largest substation amidst a function organised at Gongar in Dolakha. The New Khimti substation is second only to Dhalkebar substation located in central Terai. The Prime Minister said that the government would take forward the reservoir projects with priority – Budhigandaki and West Seti – to ensure the uninterrupted supply of power during the dry season. He called for emulating the Upper Tamakoshi model in constructing the power plants in the future. With the operation of Upper Tamakoshi, the Nepal Electricity Authority has been able to decrease the amount of electricity imported from India by more than half in the morning and evening peak hours at present.

The government has already decided to build reservoir-based hydropower plants in all seven provinces. The large reservoir projects do not only promote clean and green energy but also give an impetus to the national economy. Nepal government has expressed its commitment to reducing the use of fossil fuels as part of its campaign to cut the greenhouse emissions – the key factor behind the global warming. The Prime Minister has assured that the government would move forward the stalled Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) that is essential to sell surplus electricity abroad. Nepal currently has about 2,000 MW installed capacity. The government is building seven projects with the capacity of 610 MW while 138 private sector projects of 3506 MW are in the pipeline. Once the country achieves self-reliance on electricity, it needs to sell power in the international energy markets. For this, it requires critical infrastructures like New Khimti substation for the stable power supply.