In order to address the ongoing power disruption in the Birgunj Bara industrial corridor caused by the lack of transmission lines, the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has unveiled a series of initiatives aimed at improving the electricity supply.

Kul Man Ghising, the Managing Director of NEA, recently conducted a site visit to assess the current state of electricity supply and construction progress. However, the main issue at present lies with the transmission lines rather than power generation.

Despite having surplus electricity, NEA is unable to effectively distribute it to Birgunj due to the outdated and overloaded 132 kV transmission lines.

To cater to the existing and future industries in the Birgunj area, the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) is now undertaking the construction of high-capacity transmission lines and substations.

The NEA is currently enhancing the transmission lines and substations to cater to the electricity needs of industries in the Bara-Parsa industrial corridor, particularly in Birganj. These upgrades are essential to meet the increasing demand for electricity both now and in the future. Furthermore, the construction of high-capacity transmission lines and substations is underway, with additional projects in the proposal stage.

The NEA is committed to developing the infrastructure for high-capacity power transmission and distribution lines in key areas such as Simra, Nijgadh, Birganj, Parwanipur, Pokhria, Prasauni, and other regions within the Bara-Parsa industrial corridor.

In order to address the challenges faced by the Birganj Industrial Corridor, the NEA is in the process of replacing the conductors of the 132 kV double circuit transmission line from Pathlaiya (Piluwa) substation in Bara to Parwanipur. This involves halting power supply from one of the circuits, removing the old conductors, and installing high-capacity (HTLS) conductors.

Upon the completion of the first circuit's work, the second circuit will commence its operations. The transmission line upgrade is currently underway with the aim of finishing by the first week of June next year. The Pathlaiya (Piluwa)-Parwanipur transmission line has the capacity to transmit approximately 200 megawatts, but after replacing the conductor, this capacity will nearly double.

Additionally, the conductor of the Hetaunda-Pathalaiya (Piluwa) 132 kV transmission line has also been doubled in capacity. This enhancement will facilitate a smoother flow of electricity towards Parwanipur. In order to expedite the replacement of the conductor, Kulman Ghisingh, the Managing Director of NEAy, has urged construction professionals and project management to conduct on-site monitoring and complete the task promptly. Managing Director Ghisingh has acknowledged complaints regarding power supply issues in the Birgunj area, which are a result of one circuit being temporarily closed for the transmission line's capacity upgrade.

However, it is important to note that due to the inability to transmit additional electricity from Pathlaiya, there is a need to import electricity from Raxaul, India. Given the sensitivity of the situation, it is crucial to complete the necessary work ahead of schedule.

According to MD Ghising, the capacity of the Pathlaiya-Parpanipur transmission line will be doubled, allowing for the export of surplus electricity to Raxaul. Additionally, the construction of high-capacity transmission lines and substations is underway to ensure that the industries in the Birgunj area receive power supply from the 132 kV transmission line.

To cater to the industries in the Birgunj area, two 132 KV substations are currently being constructed in Barako Prasauni and Birgunj. Furthermore, the construction of 132 transmission lines is in progress to provide electricity to the Prasauni substation and Birgunj substation.

In line with the increasing industrial demand for electricity in the Birgunj area, a proposed 132 kV transmission line from Parwanipur to Pokhria aims to meet this demand. A substation is also being constructed at Pokharia, and the design for the Parwanipur-Pokharia transmission line, spanning approximately 21 km, has been prepared.

A new project has commenced under the Hetaunda-Dhalkebar-Inruwa 400 kV transmission line, involving the construction of a 400 kV substation at Nijgarh in Bara and the extension of the line to Pokhria via Ramauli. The proposed length of the 400 kV transmission line project is 65 km. Three 400 kV substations will be built at Nijgadh, Ramauli, and Pokharia.

The survey for the Nijgarh-Ramauli-Pokharia transmission line has been finalized, and the preliminary environmental impact assessment report is currently awaiting approval. The Nijgarh substation will be funded through a concessional loan from the Export Import (Exim) Bank of India, while the Nijgarh-Ramauli 38 km transmission line and Ramauli substation will be financed by a concessional loan from the Asian Development Bank. However, resources for the Ramauli-Pokharia 27 km transmission line and Pokharia substation have not yet been secured.