Chilime-Trishuli transmission line to be complete by January 2024

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Sept. 26: The deadline for the completion of the construction of the Chilime-Trishuli 220 kV transmission line and substations has been fixed within mid-January 2024.

The Chilime-Trishuli 220 kV transmission line project is under construction for the supply of electricity generated from hydropower projects being built in the Trishuli River and its tributaries to the national electricity system.

Under the project, Chilime Hub and Trishuli 3 B Hub substations of 220/132/33 kV are being constructed in Thambuchet of Aamachhodingmo Rural Municipality of Rasuwa and Pahirebesi of Kispang Rural Municipality of Nuwakot.

Also, Chilime-Trishuli 3B Hub 28 km 220 kV double circuit transmission line is being constructed.

The high-level team of NEA including Managing Director of Nepal Electricity Authority Kul Man Ghising inspected the substations and transmission lines under construction on Saturday and Sunday and have set a deadline for completion of work within mid-January 2024.

After discussions between the project management, consultants and the contractor company, the team has been instructed to speed up the work by adding more workers, and the team has set a schedule for completing all the remaining works in time, said the NEA.

The team will regularly monitor construction progress.

Ghising said that it is a must to carry out the works seriously and complete in time as electricity generated from the 111 MW Rasuwagadhi and 42.5 MW Sanjen hydroelectric projects under construction under the leadership of Chilime Hydropower Company will be wasted in the absence of transmission line.

The final phase of both projects is underway with the goal of generating electricity by mid-January 2024.

"The electricity produced by the two projects will help a lot to manage the electricity demand of this year's winter.

If there is a situation where electricity cannot be connected due to the lack of transmission lines, the state will suffer a huge loss. 

Let us all be serious and sensitive in this regard," said Ghising.

"The tower has to be built in very difficult places, all the works such as laying the foundation of the tower, erecting it, extending the wire, connecting the equipment of the substation, should be carried forward in parallel manner by mobilising additional workers. 

We are always ready to facilitate the cash flow that the contractor company is facing, to solve the social problem,” he said.

In the last two years, the Chinese company Pinggao Group of Companies, the contractor of the project, has made some improvements in its performance. The company has promised to build within mid-January next year.

The construction of the civil structure of both substations is in the final stage. The main equipment such as the power transformer, GIS in the substation, has been brought to the project site.

On the other hand, all equipment, including towers, conductors of the transmission line have been supplied to the construction site.

The foundations of 56 of the 76 towers in the total 28 km transmission line have been laid. The foundation of rest of the towers is being laid.

A total of 48 towers have been erected. The overall construction progress of the project is 90 per cent, said the NEA.