Balanch-Attariya Transmission Line Project Upgrade in Process

The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has finalized a Sigma Con as the contractor for the Balanch-Attariya Transmission Line Project, reports The Kathmandu Post.

The Details:

• Signa Con was selected through a global tender. The contractor is currently carrying a study to find out the quantity of equipment that will be needed to execute the upgradation.
• The study will take 2 months. After the study report is presented to NEA, NEA will approve the report and the equipment will be imported.
• The contractor plans to start the upgrade from May and complete it by February 2019.
• This project will upgrade the power line linking the country’s far western region to the national grid, from single circuit to double circuit. This will allow the transmission of six-phase electric power from the current power of three-phase.
• After its implementation, the power line will be able to evacuate around 180 MW of electricity in the region.

Backstory:

• The Balanch-Attariya Transmission Line was supposed to be completed in 2014 but different factors pushed back the deadline until it came into completed in November 2017.
• It is currently transmitting electricity generated by the 30 MW Chameliya Hydropower Project developed by the NEA, and the 8.5 MW Naugad Hydropower Project developed by Api Power.