Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Pampha Bhusal has inaugurated the Lahachok substation under the New Modi (Parbat)-Lekhnath (Kaski) 132 kV double circuit transmission line project in Machhapuchhre Rural Municipality-4 of Kaski.

Under the new Modi-Lekhnath Transmission Line Project, the construction of a 132 kV transmission line from the substation at Modi Rural Municipality-2 Deupur to Lahachowk has been completed. The substation has 133/33 kV, 30 MVA and 33/11 kV, 8 MVA power transformers. The substation has a 33 kV line bay and four 11 kV feeders for the local power supply.

Constructed under the loan of Exim Bank of India, the new Modi 132 kV switching station is connected to the Lahachok substation national grid through the Modi Hydropower Station. The Hemja 33/11 kV substation will also be connected from the substation.

Inaugurating the program, minister Bhusal has said the government was committed to ensuring power supply to the tourism sector which she said is a key basis for the nation's prosperity.

She also said the government was making plans for power consumption within the country. "Our first priority is increasing power consumption within the country instead of power export. For this, the government is planning to ensure the power of the national grid system," according to Minister Bhusal.

Electricity has been supplied to Machhapuchhre, Annapurna Rural Municipality and Pokhara Metropolis of Kaski from the Lahachowk substation. As a result, the power supply of the area has become reliable and of quality.

The construction of the new Modi-Lekhnath transmission line project was started to improve power supply in Parbat, Kaski and other districts and to provide electricity to hydropower projects to be constructed in Modi, Seti, Madi and Sardi rivers. The estimated cost of the project is Rs 2.24 billion.

Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) Managing Director Kulman Ghising said that the power supply has become reliable after the transmission line and substation came into operation and the infrastructure has been prepared to supply electricity generated from various hydropower projects that are under construction in the region to the national grid.

Shridharan Madhusudan, joint secretary at the Ministry of External Affairs of India, said that the construction of transmission lines and substations was not only cooperation between Nepal and India but also a development partnership in important areas. He expressed his commitment to continue India's support and partnership in the development of Nepal's energy sector.