Though the government is planning to promote use of electric vehicles as well as electric stoves for cooking to increase consumption of electricity, Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has started facing a problem in its distribution system due to increasing power consumption.
Of late consumers have started facing frequent power cuts also due to high demand, confirmed state power utility. “The distribution system is overloaded and feeders are tripping due to record high demand of 1,338 megawatts (MW) because of increasing cold weather, especially in Kathmandu valley, and subsequently due to the increase in the use of electrical appliances like air-conditioners and electric heaters,” the NEA informed, adding that transformers, especially, in Kathmandu valley are facing problems of overload and distribution cables are catching fire, though the NEA is managing supply by repairing the problematic feeders and distribution lines.
According to managing director of NEA Kul Man Ghising, most of the transformers, feeders and cables are overloaded at present due to increasing demand. But he assured that they are trying to address the issue of electricity tripping by upgrading and replacing the local distribution system.
The authority but claims that it has already replaced all the transformers in the Valley to ease the situation but the electricity tripping – commonly referred as power fluctuations – has equally affected the household consumers, industries and other businesses. “The power utility has also given top priority to augment the transmission and distribution system and is installing double-circuit high-capacity transmission network to enhance the quality of power supply,” Ghising said, adding that the NEA has already replaced almost 7,000 transformers in the last fiscal and 1,041 in the first four months of this fiscal year. “The process to replace over 6,000 transformers across the country is ongoing, which will increase the capacity of the distribution system by 20 per cent.”
NEA is upgrading 100 substations across the country, particularly in the major load centres and other major problematic areas. “The authority will also upgrade the transmission and distribution system to handle additional 1,000 MW of power next year, he added. “The NEA will have to upgrade the transmission lines as some 5,000 MW of electricity will be connected to the national grid by 2024, and NEA needs to install 15,000 new transformers by then.”
Kathmandu Valley’s demand has increased to above 400 MW at present from 250 MW to 325 MW in normal times peak demand. Likewise, the country’s peak demand stands at 1,338 MW currently but NEA has been generating 508 MW and independent power producers are generating 332 MW, whereas import from India stands at 498 MW. “But Nepal has also been exporting 40 MW to Bihar in India.”
Of late consumers have started facing frequent power cuts also due to high demand, confirmed state power utility. “The distribution system is overloaded and feeders are tripping due to record high demand of 1,338 megawatts (MW) because of increasing cold weather, especially in Kathmandu valley, and subsequently due to the increase in the use of electrical appliances like air-conditioners and electric heaters,” the NEA informed, adding that transformers, especially, in Kathmandu valley are facing problems of overload and distribution cables are catching fire, though the NEA is managing supply by repairing the problematic feeders and distribution lines.
According to managing director of NEA Kul Man Ghising, most of the transformers, feeders and cables are overloaded at present due to increasing demand. But he assured that they are trying to address the issue of electricity tripping by upgrading and replacing the local distribution system.
The authority but claims that it has already replaced all the transformers in the Valley to ease the situation but the electricity tripping – commonly referred as power fluctuations – has equally affected the household consumers, industries and other businesses. “The power utility has also given top priority to augment the transmission and distribution system and is installing double-circuit high-capacity transmission network to enhance the quality of power supply,” Ghising said, adding that the NEA has already replaced almost 7,000 transformers in the last fiscal and 1,041 in the first four months of this fiscal year. “The process to replace over 6,000 transformers across the country is ongoing, which will increase the capacity of the distribution system by 20 per cent.”
NEA is upgrading 100 substations across the country, particularly in the major load centres and other major problematic areas. “The authority will also upgrade the transmission and distribution system to handle additional 1,000 MW of power next year, he added. “The NEA will have to upgrade the transmission lines as some 5,000 MW of electricity will be connected to the national grid by 2024, and NEA needs to install 15,000 new transformers by then.”
Kathmandu Valley’s demand has increased to above 400 MW at present from 250 MW to 325 MW in normal times peak demand. Likewise, the country’s peak demand stands at 1,338 MW currently but NEA has been generating 508 MW and independent power producers are generating 332 MW, whereas import from India stands at 498 MW. “But Nepal has also been exporting 40 MW to Bihar in India.”
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