November 29: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) is preparing to expand the network of transmission lines with the objective of increasing consumption of electricity in Madhes Province to 4,000 Megawatts (MW).

The state-owned power utility aims to increase electricity consumption in human settlements and industrial corridors in southern belts of the Terai including Bara, Parsa, Rautahat, Mahottari and Dhanusha.

For this purpose, the NEA is planning to construct four high-powered transmission lines and sub stations along the Postal Highway by 2050.

As per the plan, the NEA will construct four-circuit transmission lines and substations alongside the Postal Highway that lies near the Nepal-India border. While two upper circuit lines will be of 400 kV, the other two on the lower level will have a capacity of 132 kV. Substations will be built to maintain smooth electricity supply in local areas.

According to NEA’s Managing Director Kulman Ghising, 3,200 MW electricity will be supplied to Bara-Parsa Industrial Corridor of Birgunj and the remaining 800 MW will be made available in the Janakpur area. This will help in urban development as well as industrial development, added Ghising.

It will also ensure supply of good quality of electricity, according to Ghising.

The construction of transmission lines and substations will cost over Rs 50 billion. According to Ghising, the funds will be managed from state coffers as well as investment of NEA, loans from EXIM Bank of India and concessional loans from the Asian Development Bank.  

In this regard, a team of high-ranking officials of NEA led by Managing Director Ghising along with the donor agencies carried out an onsite visit of the proposed construction sites on Saturday and Sunday, according to the NEA.

On the occasion, Ghising said that the NEA is making a phase-wise plan to increase domestic consumption of electricity first and then to export surplus electricity.