Agreement on construction of Ratmate-Kerung transmission line

The way has been paved for the construction of a 400 kV double circuit Ratmate-Rasuwagadhi-Kerung interstate transmission line, which is considered important for the exchange of electricity between Nepal and China.

An important agreement has been reached on the construction of the transmission line after the delegation-level talks with Chinese Foreign Minister and Chinese State Councilor Wang Yi, who is on a three-day visit to Nepal at the invitation of Foreign Minister Dr Narayan Khadka.

Though the bilateral agreement mentions a feasibility study of Nepal-China power grid interconnection, the necessary process for the construction of the Ratmate-Rasuwagadhi-Kerung transmission line will be started immediately, said project chief Komal Nath Atreya.

Secretary for Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation Devendra Karki and Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Hu Yanchi have signed a cooperation agreement on Nepal-China Power Grid Interconnection Feasibility Study.

Along with the transmission line, an important agreement has also been reached for the feasibility study of the China-Nepal interstate railway project. Following the agreement, the way has now been paved to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) of the project.

According to project chief Atreya, it is believed that all the remaining works in the construction of the transmission line will pick up speed after Saturday's agreement. According to him, the technical and financial study for the project will start now. A special committee is also active for its coordination.

The agreement also acknowledges all the progress made by Nepal in relation to the transmission line. "There is not much work left now, it is easier for those who have left, there is confidence that the project will pick up speed now," said project chief Atreya.

The project development department is moving ahead. After the agreement, the meeting of the joint technical group of Nepal and China has become easier. As the meeting could not be held, some of the remaining work in the Detailed Project Report (DPR) could not proceed. Although some complications have arisen due to Corona in recent days, the issue of 'Joint Crossing Point' could not be resolved as the border crossing between the two countries could not come into operation easily. The agreement has made it easier to do that.

The work of 'Load Flow Test' and DPR, which will be conducted jointly by the technicians of both the countries after conducting the on-site study, will also start now. The project chief Atreya said that the documents of Saturday's agreement will be sent to the concerned ministry in a few days.

Even though the work had reached its final stage, it was believed that the work to be done jointly would move forward as the impact of Corona is diminishing. He says the bilateral agreement has made things easier. The interstate transmission line will be able to exchange electricity equal to three thousand megawatts.

Although the Department of Power Development has given permission for the flow of electricity with a capacity of five thousand megawatts, the study of 'load flow' towards Nepal shows that in the first phase, three thousand megawatts of electricity can be exchanged. According to the study, the transmission line will have a higher capacity than the projects currently under construction.

The work of environmental impact assessment will be completed by next August. NEA Engineering Company, a subsidiary of NEA, is conducting an environmental impact assessment. The capacity of the transmission line towards Nepal will be 400 KV double circuit. Similarly, there will be 500 KV double circuit towards China.

The Chinese side is building a substation in Geelong County. Kerung also falls in the same county. Although the load flow test has already been conducted in Nepal, the work of joint load flow between the two countries will now start. That work will be done by the State Grid of China. According to a study by Nepal, after the completion of the construction of the inter-country transmission line, the equivalent of three thousand megawatts of electricity can be imported and exported between Nepal and China. The project will have a total of 208 towers.

The section of the transmission line towards Nepal is equal to 70 kilometers. The cost of the transmission line is estimated to be Rs. 10 billion. However, the project says that the total cost will be known only after the technical and economic study. The transmission line to Nepal from Ratmate in Nuwakot to Rasuwagadhi passes through Langtang National Park. The project has conducted studies both inside and outside the park.