Bara-Dhalkebar Transmission Line Completed, Now Operational at 132 kV to Boost Power Supply

March 21, 2025, 12:28:11 PM |

KATHMANDU: A key segment of Nepal’s ambitious Hetauda-Dhalkebar-Inaruwa 400 kV transmission line project, the Bara-Dhalkebar section, has been completed and is now operational at 132 kV, enhancing electricity supply reliability across the country.

The 100-kilometer stretch, running from Dhalkebar Substation in Dhanusha through Mahottari, Sarlahi, and Rautahat to Saraswati Danda on the Bara-Makwanpur border, was energized on Thursday, March 20, 2025, in the presence of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) Executive Director Kulman Ghising.

This development is part of efforts to strengthen Nepal’s internal power grid and expand electricity trade with India. The NEA has tapped a 60-kilometer circuit of the 400 kV line near Chandranigahpur in Rautahat, operating it at 132 kV by connecting it to the existing east-west 132 kV transmission network. Ghising highlighted that this upgrade addresses infrastructure bottlenecks, facilitating smoother power flow between Dhalkebar and western regions.

“This will ease electricity imports from India via the Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur cross-border line during the day to address winter shortages, allowing us to store water in semi-reservoir projects like Kulekhani, Upper Tamakoshi, and Kaligandaki for peak evening and night use,” he said.

The move also supports plans to export surplus power to India during the monsoon by channeling electricity from western Nepal to Dhalkebar. Additionally, it enables the NEA to upgrade the existing 132 kV double-circuit line from Hetauda to Dhalkebar by replacing old conductors with high-capacity ones, a project already underway. So far, conductor replacement is complete from Hetauda to Piluwa Substation in Bara and one circuit from Dhalkebar to Lalbadi in Sarlahi, though local obstructions have stalled progress beyond Lalbadi.

Currently, the old 132 kV line carries about 200 MW of power. Once upgraded, its capacity will double to 400 MW, improving supply reliability, enabling excess western power to flow eastward, and supporting exports via Dhalkebar.

The broader 400 kV project spans 288 kilometers from Hetauda to Inaruwa, divided into two sections: Dhalkebar-Inaruwa (154 km, operational since July 2024) and Hetauda-Dhalkebar (134 km, under construction). The latter faces delays due to local resistance in Hetauda’s Hatiya area, where 18 of 20 remaining towers are yet to be built.

Funded initially by the Government of Nepal, NEA, and a concessional World Bank loan under the Nepal-India Electricity Transmission and Trade Project, the ongoing work now relies on government and NEA investments after the loan period ended. The completion of the Bara-Dhalkebar section marks a critical step toward a more robust and interconnected power grid, promising greater energy security and economic benefits through enhanced trade with India.

Fiscal Nepal |

Friday March 21, 2025, 12:28:11 PM |