Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) completed the charging of the country’s first and the largest 400 kV capacity Dhalkebar substation at its full capacity today evening.
“With the operation of the substation at its full capacity, the 400 kV Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur cross-border transmission line has also come into operation with full capacity from today, confirmed the authority. “Nepal will be able to transmit up to 1,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity through the the first-ever high-voltage 400 kV Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur cross-border transmission line.”
The substation – the major hub for power exchange between Nepal and India – will ease the process of importing power to meet the increasing demand of electricity in Nepal while exporting electricity to India when the country has surplus energy. Currently, the country has surplus electricity, claims the Independent Power Producers’ Association of Nepal (IPPAN). The government should create a favourable environment within the country for the consumption of surplus energy by encouraging the domestic industries to utilise the electricity, when it is surplus in off-peak hours – night night time – by providing them electricity at subsidised rates, the association suggested the government.
The operation of the 400 kV Dhalkebar substation will also be useful for transmitting reliable electricity within the country from the east to west and vie versa, though NEA is yet to strengthen its transmission network within the country.
The Dhalkebar substation is going to be the backbone of Nepal’s power sector as it connects east-west electricity transmission in the country. However, with the delayed construction of transmission lines across the country including transmission lines of Kabeli Corridor, Koshi Corridor, Sunkoshi Corridor and Trishuli Corridor, Nepal will not be able to fully utilise the substation sooner.
The timely completion of the transmission line projects will help the country take maximum benefit from the operation of the Dhalkebar substation that is an important milestone for Nepal’s hydropower sector.
Initially charged at 132 kV in January 2016, Dhalkebar substation was helpful in importing 80 MW of electricity from India. But the substation was charged at 220 kV voltage in July, 2018.
The construction of 132 kV substation was started in 2010, whereas the construction of 400 kV substation was started in September 2018. But the construction of 400 kV substation at Dhalkebar has been completed by ABB India Limited under the supervision of NEA Engineering Company.
Scheduled to be completed by December 2019, the contract for the construction of Dhalkebar substation project had been awarded to ABB India Ltd in December 2017. However, the Covid-19 pandemic has pushed the construction duration.
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