KATHMANDU, Feb. 19: The government has been working to provide relief to the people who have been facing around 12-hour long power outage and its fallout on various economic activities in the country.
With the issuing of the Load Shedding Curtailing Action Plan-2069, the government has expedited the action plan for its implementation so as to curtail the power cut hours. In the same course, a total of 81 per cent construction works have been completed to generate 30 megawatt (MW) power.
As per the government efforts to minimize the load shedding hours, the government has imported 145 MW power from India, and a multi-fuel plant has been established in Duhabi, Sunsari district. Similarly, a diesel plant has been brought into operation in Hetauda of Makawanpur district to generate some 38 MW power to limit the load shedding to 12 hours, said Hariram Koirala, Secretary at the Ministry of Finance.
Koirala said the construction of power plants with a capacity to generate a total 30 MW electricity has been concluded through private efforts and this power been connected to the central transmission line.
The Lower Modikhola and Springkhola hydroelectricity projects with a capacity of 10 MW each, and the Siuri and Bijaypurkhola micro hydropower projects with capacity of 4.95 MW and 4.5 MW power, respectively, in the private investment have been completed. They have been connected to the central transmission line, he added.
Energy Secretary Koirala added that other power plants completed are the Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited (KUKL) solar energy power plant of 680 Kilowatt (KW) capacity, and two other micro hydel projects of 1045 KW and 1832 KW capacity respectively. In ddition to this, many community micro hydro projects have been constructed.
Likewise, of 188 pylons to connect Khimti-Dhalkebar 220 KV transmission line, the government installed 178 pylons. The transmission lines have been installed on 60 kilometers out of the 75 kilometers distance.
Similarly, works on detailed engineering design of the Kabeli Corridor of 133 KV transmission line have been completed.
The government has given high priority to generating power and has been making possible efforts in available resources as the energy is the first condition for the economic progress of the country, Koirala said.
Budhi Gandaki and Nalsinghgad Hydropower Project Development Committees have been formed as per the government´s policy of operating hydropower projects through development committees.
The Budhi Gandaki and Nalsinghgad Hydropower Projects have the capacity to generate 600 MW and 400 MW electricity respectively.
According to the Ministry of Energy, the Aankhukhola Hydropower Project with the capacity of 8.5 MW would be linked to the central transmission grid within few months as well as power purchase agreement (PPA) has been already reached with 19 different hydropower projects.
Permission for carrying out survey has been given to 16 promoters to generate 960 MW and permission of generating power has been already given to 15 projects to generate 590 MW electricity.
Forty per cent of civil works of the Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower project with 456 MW capacity is completed, said Koirala.Koirala added that talks are underway for ensuring the resources required for construction of the Tanahun Hydropower Project through foreign assistance.
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