Dhalkebar substation comes into operation

Kathmandu, Sept. 5: High-voltage substation in Dhalkebar of Dhanusha district has come into operation from Wednesday.

The high voltage 220 kV substation, one of the components of Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur cross-border transmission line, is constructed with the World Bank's support to promote energy exchange between Nepal and India.

The project was expected to be completed by September 2015 but was delayed for about three  years. 

With the completion of the project, a higher level of electricity trade between the two countries has begun and it will ensure quality power exchange between Nepal and India said the World Bank.

“Dhalkebar substation is the first 220 kV substation in Nepal and the first interconnection between Nepal and India operating at this voltage level. It is the main hub to receive electricity from India and transmit it to the load centres throughout the country,” said the WB.

The excess electricity generated from various hydropower plants will also flow to this substation via Hetauda-Dhalkebar-Inaruwa transmission line, currently under construction.

“Increasing access to reliable electricity in a timely and cost-effective manner is one of the most significant development challenges facing Nepal today. The operation of the transmission line signals a more robust domestic transmission, and opens up possibilities of cross-border trade and electricity interchange,” said Faris Hadad-Zervos, WB Country Manager for Nepal.

 With the commissioning of the substation, Nepal has been able to upgrade its network capacity from 132 kV to the 220 kV voltage level.

Works are ongoing to upgrade the Dhalkebar substation to 400 kV.  The substation is part of the World Bank-supported Nepal-India Electricity Transmission and Trade Project that aims to establish a high voltage cross-border transmission link between India and Nepal of about 1,000 MW to facilitate electricity trade between the two countries.

Nepal currently generates 1,074 MW of electricity, far less than its potential of an estimated 40,000 MW and the national requirement of 1,508 MW. Increasing demand results in peak shortages of about 450 MW. The substation will help import about 300 MW of electricity, covering most of the peak shortages in Nepal.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 6 September 2018.