Khimti substation nears completion

Charikot / Mar. 30: The construction work of the transmission line and substation (new Khimti substation) under lot four of under-construction Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project (UTHP) in Bigu Rural Municipality of Dolakha district has reached the final stage.

The construction work of 220 kV transmission line and 220/ 132 kV substation of the 456-MW-capacity project, being constructed with domestic investment, is on the verge of completion.

The contract for the 2.12 billion-project was signed with Indian construction company KEC International in January 2013, when the market value of a dollar was Rs. 88.69.

According to the agreement, 47 km-long transmission line has been installed from Gongar to Devitar of Ramechhap district, along with the construction of 127 towers, said Dr. Ganesh Neupane, UTHP spokesperson.

He said that all the works related to the transmission line has been completed except the connection to the substation.

The construction work of GIS (Gas Insulated Substation) has been completed and 220 kV GIS equipment has been connected, entering the testing phase.

The works concerning control room which manage all the lines of the substation has completed, as has the connection of 100 MVA transformer.

The substation under construction in Manthali Municipality-13 of Devitar in Ramechhap district will connect the 220 kV line from Gongar to Dhalkebar via Khimti, in addition to connecting the same line to Kathmandu through a 220/ 132 kV, 100 MVA transformer and 132 kV transmission line.

The new Khimti substation, which is considered as the power hub of Dolakha and Ramechhap, will have a combined capacity of 750 MW power from Gajrang, Khimti-2, Likhu-1, 2, 3 and 4 hydropower project, said Bigyan Shrestha, UTHP chief executive officer.

“All the challenging works for the construction of substation are about to complete. We will be able to supply power through transmission line by mid-April this year,” he said.