SATV, Kathmandu, October 2 - Following the devastating floods in the Bhotekoshi River in Rasuwa, damage to several hydropower projects has taken 430 megawatts of electricity out of the national power transmission system, prompting the government to begin preparations for alternative power management.
The floods disrupted the electricity supply coming to Kathmandu’s Balaju and Chapali areas through the Trishuli Corridor, increasing the load on transmission lines serving these areas. In response, the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation has started preparations to develop an alternative power supply system.
According to ministry spokesperson Mohan Kumar Shakya, the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has formed a separate “Task Force” to manage Kathmandu’s electricity supply. He said the ministry has begun the necessary groundwork to develop an alternative supply system to manage electricity demand during the upcoming winter season.
As part of the preparations, the ministry recently held discussions with the Department of Roads and Kathmandu Metropolitan City on constructing additional underground power grids and making the existing underground system more reliable. The discussions focused on improving the reliability of underground alternative power grids in certain areas and collaborating with the Department of Roads and Kathmandu Metropolitan City under a specific work schedule to construct additional underground grids.
Shakya said preparations have been accelerated as electricity demand is expected to rise during the winter season.
During the discussions, Kathmandu Division Chief of the Department of Roads Subodh Devkota expressed the department’s commitment to providing necessary support and cooperation for underground grid construction. Suresh Kumar Rai, head of the Public Construction Department of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, said the metropolitan city would cooperate in managing underground cables beneath footpaths.
Durgananda Badiyat, chief of the Project Directorate of the Nepal Electricity Authority, said the authority would further organize the ongoing underground cable management work in the Kathmandu Valley and closely coordinate with the Distribution and Customer Service Directorate according to the requirements for managing winter electricity demand.
During the meeting, Munindra Thakur, chief of the Bagmati Distribution and Customer Service Directorate, gave a presentation on electricity load management in Kathmandu and the necessary measures. He said the NEA has formed a “Task Force” and is moving ahead with preparations to manage winter electricity demand.
NEA Board Member Anshukiran Shahi said high-level cooperation and support among all concerned agencies would be necessary to manage Kathmandu’s winter electricity demand. He said continuous coordination was being maintained with the ministry to ensure smooth management of the pressure on the electricity system during the winter season.
