Urgent action needed to prevent power loss in Madhyabhotekoshi due to Bahrbise substation delay

KATHMANDU: The Nepal Electricity Authority is facing mounting pressure to swiftly complete the construction of the 220 kV substation in Bahrbise, Sindhupalchok. With the final stage of the 102-megawatt Madhyabhotekoshi hydroelectric power project nearing completion under the leadership of Chilime Hydropower Company, there is a pressing need to finish the substation’s construction to facilitate the connection to the project.

Within the next two months, the Madhyabhotekoshi project will conclude its construction, and the electricity generated will be transmitted to the Bahrbise substation through a 220 kV transmission line.

Although the towers for the transmission line have already been erected, the substation’s construction has encountered delays attributed to poor performance by the joint venture of Chinese companies Guangxi Transmission and Substation Construction and Shenzhen Claw Electronics, which secured the construction contract.

The non-compliance of director construction professionals appointed by the authority to improve the performance has adversely affected the substation’s completion schedule.

The authority has issued warnings, stating that if the substation’s construction is not finished and Madhya Bhotekoshi’s electricity cannot be connected, the builders will face compensation charges.

A high-level team from the authority, led by Executive Director Kulman Ghising, along with Deputy Executive Directors Dalgayu Kumar Shrestha and Tara Prasad Pradhan, visited the construction site on Saturday.

They discussed the challenges faced during construction, equipment supply status, and the schedule for project completion with the project management and construction professionals.

Executive Director Ghising acknowledged some improvement in the construction industry’s performance since last February. To expedite the construction process, Director Dindai Ghising pledged to visit the substation site weekly to monitor progress.

While the equipment, including power transformers, has arrived at the construction site, the control room building is still under construction.

The substation is expected to house 220/132 KV, 160 MVA, and 132/11 KV, 5 MVA power transformers. Additionally, another 400 KV substation is under construction in Bahrbise.

In the meantime, the authority has made temporary alternative arrangements to manage the electricity flow from Madhya Bhotesh. However, the construction of twelve substations is required for this arrangement.

The high-level team has requested Shivashree Hydropower, the promoter company of the 22 MW Upper Chaku A Hydropower Project, to initiate the construction of a 132 KV single circuit transmission line from Lamosanghu substation to Bahrabise, which is yet to commence.

The Tamakoshi-Kathmandu transmission line and substation construction are essential to transmit electricity from the Tamakoshi and Sunkoshi river hydroelectric projects, and their tributaries to the national transmission system. These projects are being developed with concessional loans from the Asian Development Bank.

Under the Tamakoshi-Kathmandu 220/400 KV transmission line project, a 44 km transmission line is currently under construction from New Khimti Substation in Ramechhap to Barhabise.

Additionally, a 46 km 400 kV double circuit line from Bahrbise to Lapsiphedi in Kathmandu and a 14 km 132 kV transmission line from Lapsiphedi to Changunarayan in Bhaktapur are in progress. The construction of 400/220 and 132/11 KV substations at Lapsiphedi has faced delays due to local residents’ objections.