NEA seeks Province govt's help for transmission line

By A Staff Reporter Kathmandu, June 13: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has requested Gandaki Province government to facilitate the construction of power transmission and distribution projects in 11 districts of the province.

The NEA held a meeting with Chief Minister of Gandaki Province Krishna Chandra Nepali Pokharel, Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Drinking Water Hari Sharan Acharya and Chief Secretary Rabi Lal Pantha in Pokhara on Saturday on the problems of power transmission and distribution. 

Managing Director of NEA Kul Man Ghising briefed about the projects under construction and distribution in Gandaki, the problems seen in the construction of the projects, the obstructions in various places and the progress of complete electrification of the province.

On the occasion, Chief Minister Pokharel urged to expedite the work of the projects under construction and proposed to expand the power transmission and distribution lines in Gandaki, which has great potential for hydropower generation.

"Some districts of the province are still not fully electrified. There is a problem of low voltage in power supply. We are always ready to provide necessary assistance and facilitation to resolve this and move ahead with the work for adequate and reliable power supply,” he said.

Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Drinking Water Acharya said that continuous initiatives have been taken in the field to solve the problems faced by the power projects locally.

Locals have obstructed the construction of Kaligandaki Corridor 220 kV, Bharatpur-Bardaghat 220 kV, Marsyangdi Corridor 220 kV, New Modi-Lekhnath 132 kV transmission line in various districts of Gandaki.

Obstruction  in Birauta substation 

The locals have been obstructing the work of the proposed substation at Pokhara Metropolitan City-17 Birauta for several years to make the power supply of Pokhara reliable and qualitative.

MD Ghising said that if the construction of 132/11 kV substation could not be started immediately, there would be forced load shedding in Pokhara as the present capacity would not meet the demand.

Ghising urged Chief Minister Pokharel to take necessary initiative to remove the obstruction of locals.

"Japan International Cooperation Agency is ready to assist the construction of the substation, but we have not been able to carry out preliminary environmental assessment due to obstruction, which has resulted in standoff. The construction of the substation will not have any negative impact," he said.