Construction of Kathmandu’s largest substation completed at Matatirtha

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Feb. 8: The construction of 220/132 kV substation at Matatirtha in Chandragiri Municipality of Kathmandu has been completed. Nepal Electricity Authority has constructed a 220/132 kV substation at Matatirtha in Chandragiri Municipality of Kathmandu under the Marshyangdi-Kathmandu transmission line project.

The Matatirtha 220/132 kV substation has been constructed to supply electricity to Kathmandu Valley from the hydroelectric projects of Trishuli and Marsyangdi river catchment areas and to strengthen the integrated electricity system in the country. The capacity of the substation is 320 MVA.

The Matatirtha substation has become the biggest substation for electricity supply in Kathmandu Valley, according to the NEA. Managing Director of NEA Kul Man Ghising said that the construction of Matatirtha substation has been completed and all equipment, including power transformers, have been successfully tested.

"The 220 kV Trishuli 3B hub or Markichowk substation should be built to charge and operate the Matatirtha substation at 220 kV. However, it seems that the construction of the Markichowk substation will take some time.  The Trishuli 3B hub is being charged by March end this year, after the substation is operational, Matatirtha substation will be charged at 220 kV," he said.

"Infrastructure of 220 kV has been prepared for electricity supply in Kathmandu Valley. After electricity supply from this substation, the power supply of Kathmandu Valley will be more sufficient, reliable and qualitative, the country's integrated electricity system will also be strengthened," said Ghising.

The construction of the Marsyangdi-Kathmandu 220 kV double circuit transmission line has been completed from the Markichowk substation at Aanbukhairni in Tanahun to Kathmandu to bring the power of the Marsyangdi river watershed area to the Kathmandu Valley.

The transmission line had been charged to 132 kV and brought into operation in July 2022. As part of the project, a 220/132 kV substation is under construction at Markichowk.

Tara Prasad Pradhan, deputy managing director of NEA's project management directorate, said that the electricity brought into the Kathmandu Valley from Marsyangdi and Trishuli will be supplied from Matatirtha substation through 132 kV to Syuchatar, Chobhar and other areas and locally.

He said that the electricity from Matatirtha can also be supplied to Hetaunda through a 132 kV transmission line. The Authority is constructing a 132 kV substation in Chobhar. The construction of a 132 kV transmission line from Matatirtha to Chobhar has been completed. He said that the contract agreement for construction of 132 kV underground transmission line from Chobhar to Patan in Lalitpur and 132 kV substation in Patan has been signed.

As the performance of the contractor who was awarded the contract for the construction of Matatirtha and Markichok substation under the Marsyangdi-Kathmandu transmission line project was not satisfactory, the Authority canceled the contract and awarded a new contract in December 2021 to complete the remaining work.

The project has been started with the investment of the government and Authority and concessional loan from Asian Development Bank. The estimated cost of the two substations is around Rs. 2 billion.