KATHMANDU: The construction of a 220 KV substation at Udipur in Besishahar Municipality of Lamjung has been completed as part of the Marsyangdi Corridor 220 kV Transmission Line Project. With an estimated investment of around Rs 16 billion, funded by the Government of Nepal and concessional loans from the European Investment Bank (EIB), the project marks a major milestone in enhancing Nepal’s electricity transmission infrastructure.
The Udipur substation, which employs Gas Insulated Substation (GIS) technology, is equipped with 220/132 kV, 160 MVA and 132/33 kV, 50 MVA capacity power transformers. All equipment, including the power transformers, has been successfully tested, and the 132 kV substation has already been brought into operation.
According to an agreement between the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) and Himalayan Power Partner Ltd, the electricity generated by the 27 MW Dordi Khola Hydropower Project will be transmitted via this substation. The Dordi Corridor 132 kV double circuit transmission line, which is designed to handle electricity from Lamjung’s Dordi River and its tributaries, will now be connected to the Udipur substation.
Interim Arrangements and Future Connections
While construction of the Udipur substation was ongoing, the electricity generated by the Dordi Khola hydropower project was temporarily rerouted to the Middle Marsyangdi Hydropower Station’s switchyard. With the Udipur substation now operational, this temporary arrangement will end, and the Dordi Corridor transmission line will be integrated into the substation. From there, electricity will flow through the Middle Marsyangdi-Marsyangdi 132 kV transmission line into the national transmission system.
NEA Managing Director Kulman Ghising emphasized the importance of the substation for local electricity supply. “The electricity will be supplied locally through the 33 kV line from Udipur substation, ensuring a reliable power supply to the area,” he stated.
Expansion Plans and Priorities
The Marsyangdi Corridor 220 kV Transmission Line Project aims to channel electricity generated from Marsyangdi and its tributaries into Nepal’s national grid. Ghising noted that work on the 220 kV transmission line from Udipur to Bharatpur, via Markhichowk in Tanahun, is scheduled for completion by mid-April to mid-May next year. This section of the line has been prioritized to ensure the efficient transmission of electricity from hydropower projects in the region.
The transmission line has a capacity of approximately 1,600 megawatts and spans 113 km from Bharatpur in Chitwan to Dharapani in Manang. In the Udipur-Markhichowk section, foundations for 90 of the 110 towers have been completed, while in the Markhichowk-Bharatpur section, 35 foundations on private land have been constructed out of the 83 required.
Environmental and Logistical Challenges
The project faces environmental hurdles, as it requires the use of 69.69 hectares of national forest and the cutting of 10,225 trees for the construction of the transmission line from Udipur to New Bharatpur via Gorkha and Tanahun. Narayan Regmi, head of the project, confirmed that the process for land use in forested areas has been completed, and tree removal is set to begin shortly.
Further Progress on Substations and Transmission Lines
Under the project’s second package, the construction of new substations in Bharatpur and Udipur has been completed. Meanwhile, the third package involves the construction of the Manang (Dharapani)-Khudi-Udipur 46 km transmission line, as well as two substations. Construction on the 220/132/33 kV Khudi substation is 90 percent complete, while the Manang substation is still under development. Foundations for 22 of the 46 towers on the Khudi-Udipur transmission line have also been completed.
The completion of the Udipur substation and ongoing work on the Marsyangdi Corridor Project are critical steps toward enhancing Nepal’s power infrastructure, enabling better transmission of hydropower and improving energy reliability across the country.