The Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation is working to resolve administrative issues to finish 12 transmission line projects within this fiscal year.
Government Takes Action on Transmission Line Delays
The Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation has started coordinating with other government departments to finish transmission line projects on time. On Thursday, ministry officials met with the heads of 12 different projects to understand their progress and the problems they are facing in the field.
During the briefing, project managers explained that they have been struggling with delays from the Forest Department regarding tree cutting permissions. They also mentioned not getting enough time from the Road Department to move poles and towers. Now that the ministry is coordinating directly with these offices, the work is starting to move faster.
Projects Expected to Finish Within the Year
Navraj Ojha, who leads the distribution and customer service department of the Nepal Electricity Authority, said that all 12 projects are expected to be finished within this year. The list includes several important lines like Tumlingtar-Sheetalpati 220 kV, Dhalkebar-Banganga 132 kV, Kohalpur-Surkhet-Dailekh 132 kV, Nepalgunj-Nanpara 132 kV, Lalbandi-Salempur 132 kV, Inaruwa-Biratnagar 132 kV, Hetauda-Dhalkebar 400 kV and Kaligandaki-Ridi 132 kV.
For the Inaruwa-Biratnagar line, the main contractor did not continue the work even after getting more time. Because of this, the ministry decided to pay the sub-contractor directly so the work can be completed in three months. Also, the forest issues for the Hetauda-Dhalkebar 400 kV line are solved, and it will be finished by Katik.
Better Electricity Supply Ahead
Energy Minister’s main advisor Anil Kumar Adhikari said that these lines will be connected to the main grid within six months to a year. Once they start running, the power tripping and supply problems in those areas should become less. Minister of Energy Biraj Bhakta Shrestha has told project heads to inform the ministry immediately if any new problem comes up, so the government can help fixing it right away.
AI Disclaimer: This article was originally published on https://bajarkochirfar.com. It has been translated with the help of AI. For the best understanding and accurate facts, we recommend reading the original Nepali version.
