Kathmandu. Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Biraj Bhakta Shrestha inspected the Hetauda-Dhalkebar 400 KV substation.

Minister Shrestha took a briefing on the progress report of two multi-circuit towers of the Hetauda-Dhalkebar 400 KV transmission line under construction at the substation. During the inspection, Minister Shrestha directed to complete the work of the tower, which is the backbone of the country’s energy, on time.

Minister Shrestha made a decision from the Council of Ministers to expedite the construction of the Hetauda-Dhalkebar 400 KV transmission line which has been stalled for the past 12 years.

According to Dirghayu Kumar Shrestha, managing director of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), the construction of the transmission line has been stalled for the past 12 years.

According to him, out of 16 towers of the Hetauda-Dhalkebar transmission line, 14 double circuit towers have been constructed. Two multi-circuit towers are in the final stage.

“14 towers have been ready. The work progress of the remaining two towers is good. We will prepare it in 10-15 days and charge it. We have taken it as a backbone. Due to this, the reliability of the supply increases a lot. If we can increase consumption, we can also increase exports. We are preparing to charge it after Dashain,” said Executive Director Shrestha.

Minister Shrestha said that the Hetauda-Dhalkebar transmission line is the backbone of Nepal’s energy. “The work of the tower here going to Butwal via Chitwan and Dhalkebar on the other side was stopped. The work of 16 towers was stopped for a long time for the last 12 years. Billions of rupees have been spent by the state, but in the confusion of what to do, historic work has also been done. This will make the Butwal line Inaruwa and Inaruwa line a highway of energy to Butwal. There were concerns about the two towers here. It has reached the stage of completion with the active participation of all the teams,” he said.

Minister Shrestha said that after the construction of the transmission line, Nepal’s energy would be more balanced and of high quality.

“After this transmission line is charged, we believe that Nepal’s energy will be very balanced and qualitative, so what is the progress of the work of the tower? We have been watching for a while, and today we see that the transmission line, which has been in limbo for 12 years, has gained momentum. The power sector is now stable. Now there is a capacity of three hundred megawatts, and Dhalkebar is going from here. After the construction of this, two thousand megawatts of electricity will be flowed. This is not an easy achievement,” he said.

Minister Shrestha said that after the completion of the Hetauda-Dhalkebar section, the East-West electricity flow would be more strong, reliable and sustainable, which would strengthen the electricity supply system within the country and play an important role in addressing the growing industrial electricity demand, inter-country electricity trade and preventing the wastage of electricity produced during the rainy season. He said that the completion of the project would further expand the credibility of the national grid and the possibilities of electricity trade.