15 Districts In Nepal Fully Electrified
August 4, 2020 | Investopaper
With the addition of 11 districts in the fiscal year 2076/77, 15 districts across the country have been fully electrified. Last year, Dhankuta, Sunsari, Siraha, Dhanusha, Mahottari, Bara, Parsa, Nuwakot, Kapilvastu, Gulmi and Bardiya were fully electrified. Earlier, Parbat, Syangja, Kathmandu and Bhaktapur were fully electrified. NEA had set a target of electrifying 40 districts last fiscal year.
However, Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) Executive Director Kulman Ghising said that the target was not achieved as electrification was affected due to COVID-19. The government has set a target of providing electricity service to every household by 2079 BS and increasing the annual per capita electricity consumption to 700 units.
Upper Tamakoshi Project Yet To Be Completed
Last year, 135 MW of electricity was added to the national transmission system from 15 private sector projects. The target of completing 456 MW Upper Tamakoshi last year through a subsidiary of NEA has not been achieved yet. The target has been set for the current fiscal year. Similarly, 140 MW Tanahu Hydropower Project is also under construction. NEA has spent Rs 5.53 billion out of the Rs 7.80 billion allocated for the production of the power project last fiscal year.
Last year, NEA had planned to conduct a detailed study of 1,061 MW Upper Arun, 635 MW Dudhkoshi, Upper Modi A and Tamakoshi Fifth Hydropower projects. Out of the Rs 1.95 billion allocated for that, only 26.48 percent has been spent. The physical progress of these projects is also 33.39 percent.
Similalry, of the Rs 26.48 billion allocated for the transmission line last fiscal year, Rs 19.52 billion has been spent. 285 circuit kilometers of transmission line has been added from 6 projects. Projects like Koshi, Solu, Kaligandaki, Marsyangdi Corridor, Singati Lamosanghu, Chilime-Trishuli 3B Hub, Hetauda-Dhalkebar-Inaruwa, Marsyangdi-Kathmandu, Tamakoshi-Kathmandu are under construction.
840 MVA Capacity Added To The Substation
NEA is emphasizing on construction of new substations and strengthening of distribution system across the country for quality and reliable supply of electricity to increase access to electricity. Last year, 840.40 MVA capacity was added to the substation. Four new 138.06 MVA substations have come into operation and 37 transmission substations have been upgraded. Its capacity is 579.80 MVA.
Similarly, construction of 24 substations for distribution has been completed. The capacity of these substations is 152 MVA. Last year, the target was to extend 250 km 33 kV line towards electricity distribution, but 405 km has been constructed. Out of the Rs 19.08 billion allocated for the distribution line, Rs 17.57 billion has been spent.