National power grid reaches Tilicho base camp

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Nov. 11: The electricity of the national grid has reached the base camp of Tilicho Lake, a tourist spot in Manang.

According to the Nepal Electricity Authority, the national transmission line has been extended to the base camp at an altitude of 4,250 metres above sea level in Khangsar of Manang Ngisyang Rural Municipality-9 and started to supply electricity.

The electricity supply has been started in the area by keeping a distribution transformer of 50 KVA capacity at the base camp.

There are 10 hotels, health posts and small restaurants operating in the base camp. There are 15 customers of electricity in the base camp.

Before the national transmission line reached, electricity was produced and supplied by solar energy and diesel generators at the base camp. The place is within the Annapurna Conservation Area.

Chyolpa Gurung, Ward Chairman of Manang Ngisyang Rural Municipality-9, said that there was a big problem of electricity supply in tourist sites as the backup of solar energy was not sufficient.

 He said that it is now much easier after the national transmission line is extended.

“After the national grid arrived, a machine has been placed to measure the oxygen level of the hikers going to Tilicho Lake from the base camp, and water has been boiled using electricity, which has reduced the use of gas by about 40 per cent,” said Gurung, who is also operating a hotel in the base camp. 

"There is a problem of tripping due to the long length of electricity transmission line. If the electricity supply can be made reliable and qualitative, the use of cooking gas can be completely reduced by using induction stoves in the hotel,” he said.

He said that because firewood is expensive in that area, gas is used for cooking and boiling water.

Managing Director of NEA Kul Man Ghising, who reached Khangsar in Manang Ngisyang Rural Municipality-9 a few days ago, said that the electricity of the national transmission line was supplied to the base camp of Tilicho Lake as part of the campaign to light up the religious and tourist areas. 

Ghising said in a discussion with the local residents along with the Ward Chairman, "We were focused on bringing the national grid to the base camp, we will continue with high priority the line upgrade works to make the overall electricity supply of Manang district reliable and qualitative.”

The 33 kV electricity transmission line extends from the substation of Radhi Sana Hydropower Centre located in Marsyangdi Rural Municipality-5, Ghermu of Lamjung to the 33/11 kV substation located in Chame Rural Municipality-1, Sakrew. 

From the said substation, 11 kV line was taken to the base camp via Chame, the district headquarters, said the NEA.

The NEA has operated the 45 KW Chame Small Hydroelectric Power Plant and the 80 KW Manang Small Hydroelectric Power Plant for power supply in Manang. 

When the national transmission line was tripped and closed, electricity was supplied by generating from small hydropower plants, said Raju Mahato, chief of the Manang distribution centre of the Authority.

As part of the Marsyangdi Corridor 220 kV transmission line project, the electricity supply of Manang will improve after the completion the construction of a 220 kV substation is completed in Nason Rural Municipality-1, Dharapani of Manang.

The necessary structures have been arranged at Dharapani substation for power supply locally.