Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has started charging Dhalkebar substation from today. The largest substation of the country is a part of Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur cross border transmission line that is expected to facilitate the Nepal-India electricity trade.
The substation with electricity transmission capacity of around 1,200 megawatts (MW) is now able to import or export up to 850 MW of electricity. The substation can export the electricity generated by Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project.
Started in fiscal year 2017-18 with tender process, the 400 kV substation has three transformers and two of which will be charged after the Dashain festival. It took around two-and-a-half years for completion under the NEA’s engineering company supervision.
The government funded the country’s first gas-insulated station (GIS) was designed by NEA. According to the NEA, the substation will be connected to tower in Muzaffarpur from November 6 to November 10. Though, the construction was targeted to complete by the end of last fiscal year 2019-20, it took more time as the substation was could not be charged as the high-voltage testing machine was stuck at Kerung customs point – Nepal-China border customs – for three months due to the lockdown.
Although the Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur cross-border transmission line was supposed to have been charged at 400 kV, it was initially operated at only 132 kV. Later in 2018-19 it was operated at 220 kV capacity and now it is fully operated at 400 kV charging capacity.
After the east-west transmission line is charged at 400 kV, the substation will be able to transmit 12,000 MW of energy, according to the NEA.
Former managing director of NEA Kul Man Ghising confirming that his dream has come truw, said that the project has been though not completed his tenure, completion of the Dhalkebar substation is an important milestone for the hydropower sector of the county.
