Fiscal Nepal
First Business News Portal in English from Nepal
KATHMANDU: The national electricity transmission grid has reached the Tilicho Lake Base Camp, a popular tourist site in the trans-Himalayan district of Manang. The base camp, located in Khangsar, Ward No. 9 of Manang Ngisyang Rural Municipality, stands at an altitude of 4,250 meters and has begun receiving electricity from the national grid. The power supply is supported by a 50 kVA distribution transformer.
The base camp hosts 10 hotels, a health post, and small restaurants, serving a total of 15 electricity consumers. Previously, electricity was generated through solar power and diesel generators. Tilicho Lake Base Camp lies within the Annapurna Conservation Area, where solar energy alone often proved insufficient, causing challenges in power supply.
With the arrival of national grid electricity, locals report a significant improvement. Ward Chair Chyolpa Gurung highlighted that electric power has enabled the installation of oxygen level measurement machines for trekkers and electric water heating, reducing gas usage by nearly 40%. However, due to the extended transmission line, there are occasional tripping issues. Chair Gurung emphasized that improving line reliability and quality would enable the use of electric cooktops, potentially eliminating gas usage entirely.
Recently, Nepal Electricity Authority’s (NEA) Executive Director Kulman Ghising visited Khangsar to inspect the power supply. As part of the initiative to illuminate religious and tourist sites, he confirmed that the national grid has been extended to Tilicho Base Camp. In discussions with local leaders, Ghising stressed the NEA’s commitment to enhancing Manang’s overall electricity supply to accommodate the increasing number of both domestic and foreign tourists.
Electricity reaches the base camp via a 33 kV line from the Ridi Small Hydropower Plant’s substation in Ghermu, Marsyangdi Rural Municipality-5, Lamjung, to a 33/11 kV substation in Syakru, Chame Rural Municipality-1. The 11 kV line then extends from the district headquarters in Chame to the base camp.
The NEA operates 45 kW and 80 kW small hydropower plants in Manang, which serve as backup power sources during grid outages. According to Raju Mahato, Chief of NEA’s Manang Distribution Center, these plants help maintain supply stability.
The ongoing construction of a 220 kV substation at Dharapani, Nasong Rural Municipality-1, under the Marsyangdi Corridor 220 kV transmission line project, is expected to improve electricity supply in Manang upon completion. The substation is scheduled for completion within 18 months and will incorporate necessary structures for local supply, ultimately reducing transmission line length and improving electricity distribution in the region.
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