STATUS OF TRANSMISSION LINE AND

EXPANSION PLAN IN NEPAL

S. Rajbhandari
 Components of Power System
 Electrical power system mainly consist of three
systems or components:
 Generating system
 Transmission system
 Distribution system
 Generating system consists of generating stations
or power houses where stored in various forms
(examples: water at height, heat energy in coal or
oil or nuclear energy in the atoms of fissionable
fuels) are converted into electrical energy.
 Components of Power System contd.
 Transmission system transmits electrical
energy in bulk, generally from generating
stations to the primary substations.
 Distribution system is the system from
which electrical energy is distributed to
various consumers such as domestic,
commercial, industrial, non commercial etc.
 NEA Transmission System
 Grid (INPS) extends from east to west, ie.,
Anarmani- Mahendranagar
 Major hydro stations connected to the grid.
 GSS Capacity: 1310 MVA
 132 kV line length: 2076 cct Km
 66 kV line length: 586 cct Km
NEA Transmission System contd.
 Principal voltage of grid system is 132 kV.
 Majority of the lines constructed with
double circuit, except for Bardghat-Hetauda
section
 Constructed with conductor BEAR and
DUCK except for Bardghat-Hetauda and
Bharatpur-Pokhara
Single Line Diagram of INPS
 Single Line diagram, INPS
Modi
I Trishuli
MMRS

Lamosangu
KGA

Jhim
M/ nagar
Dubi Anarmani

Lamai Htd
Butwal Bhrtpr Chapur Dhalke Lahan

Tanakpur Parwanipur India

Birgunj
Integrated Nepal Power System
(INPS) Map

(NOT TO SCALE)
Why Transmission System Expansion ?
 To provide greater reliability and capacity
 To increase the ability to distribute
available power to meet existing and future
demands
 To meet NEA’s contractual obligation for
transmission with various power producers
 To increase NEA’s ability to import/export
power
 Transmission Development
 Before 1985:
 No systematic planning carried out.
 Transmission expansion mainly by ED, tandem of new
HEP.
Major transmission Projects (about 800 km)
 Trishuli – Balaju – Hetauda – Birgunj
 Sunkoshi – Patan
 Gandak – Bharatpur – Hetauda
 Devighat – Chabel
 Bardghat – Butwal - Kohalpur
 Hetauda – Dhalkebar
 Bharatpur – Pokhara
 Suichatar – KL2 - Hetauda
 Transmission Development contd.
 Period Between 1985 - 1992
 Transmission network planning started in 80s.
 NEA Act implemented for effective monopoly
 NEA Prepared and updated its corporate plan

Long term demand forecasting

LCGEP TSMP Distr. Plan

Transmission Development, 85-92
 NEA LCGEP, TSMP & DEP treated as
national plans.
 NEA responsible for phased
implementation Grid interconnection
domestic or interdepartmental affair.
 Major Transmission Projects during the period
(approx.500km) :
 Dhalkebar – Duhabi – Anarmani
 Kohalpur – Mahendranagar
 Balaju – Marshyangdi - Bharatpur
 Transmission Development after 1992
 Period after 1992:
 New Electricity Act; Hydropower Development
Policy
 IPPs have access to generation;
 NEA the grid owner and IPPs the grid user for
existing grid.
 Absence of national Grid code led many issues
related to grid planning, expansion, operation,
interconnection to remain as grey areas.
 Grid Interconnection no more interdepartmental
issue
Transmission Development after 1992
 NEA faced four problems:
 What level of generation development to be

considered/planned for transmission expansion?

IPPs have license throughout country.
 Which expansion to be given priority?

 What performance standards to be adopted for

expansion planning?
 Source of funding. Where does the money will

come from for transmission expansion?

 Mismatched Triangle
 NEA, IPPs and Government bodies
Government bodies
MOWR
NEA WECS
DOED
Roles and IPPs
Responsibilities as per
NEA Act Roles / responsibilities
As per Electricity Act
Monopoly operation
Single buyer market
Forced to single buyer Missing

Roles
Responsibilities
Functionalities
Structures
 Transmission Development after 1992

 IPPs are awarded license wherever they apply for and

wish to develop power projects where they have
license for.
 IPPs expect NEA to provide evacuation/
interconnection where they want.
 Their proposals for power evacuation include:
 either to break the existing trunk lines for

interconnection
 or new transmission line to be constructed by
NEA.
 Transmission Development after 1992
 NEA refuses:
 interconnection that harm grid security

 to add transmission capacity due to lack of

funds.
 Rigid stands taken by both NEA & IPPs helped to
create bottlenecks or congestion.
 Ultimately very little transmission expansion
realized. Such expansions include (approx. 345
km):
Transmission Development after 1992
 Khimti – Lamosangu – Bhaktapur ( NEA)
 Lekhnath – Kaligandaki – Butwal (NEA)

 Chilime – Trisuli (NEA)

 Pathlaiya – Parwanipur (NEA)

 Bhotekoshi – Lamosangu (Private)

 Indrawati – Paanchkhal (Private)

 Jhimruk – Lamahi (Private)

 Current Situation
 The conflicting interests created
transmission bottlenecks.
 Transmission congestion in many sections
of the INPS.
 NEA transmission plan focuses on meeting
its internal demand and limited export.
 The TSMP envisages a 220 kV backbone
for the purpose.
 INPS
Modi
Western Area MMRS
Pokh
KGA Lekh

MRS
Jhim Damau

M/ nagar

Bard Htd
Lamai Kawasoti
Butwal Bhrtpr

Tanakpur
 INPS
Central and East Trishuli

MRS Lamosangu

Dubi Anarmani

Htd
Bharatpur Chapur Dhalke Lahan

Parwanipur India

Birgunj
Transmission Line Reinforcement Plan
S. No. Transmission lines Proposed year Status
1 Birgunj Corridor 132 kV 2006/07 abandoned
2 Butwal Sunauli 132 kV 2007/08 abandoned
Thankot-Chapagaon-Bhaktapur 132 kV
3 2007/08 Under const.
4 Khimti Dhalkebar 220 kV 2007/08 Under const.
Kohalpur-Lamahi-Shivpur-Butwal and Khimti
5 Dhalkebar second circuit stringing 2007/08 Planned
Under const. (Het-
6 Hetauda-Bardghat 220 kV 2009/10 Bharatpur)
7 Bardghat-Butwal 220 kV 2011/12 Planned
8 Hetauda-Thankot 220 kV 2011/12 Planned
Bharatpur-Hetauda 220 kV second circuit stringing
9 2011/12 Planned
Transmission Lines Planned/Proposed
for Power Evacuation
S. No. Transmission lines Proposed year Status
1 MiddleMarsyangdi-Marsyangdi 132 kV 2006/07 Completed
2 Kul III-Hetauda 132 kV 2008/09 abandoned
3 Upper Modi-Modi Khola 132 kV 2009/10 Planned
4 Madi I-Lekhnath 132 kV 2009/10 Planned
5 Chamelia-Ataria 132 kV 2010/11 Planned
6 Mewa -Tamor 132 kV 2010/11 Planned
7 Hewa-Kabeli 132 kV 2010/11 Planned
8 Lower Modi-Modi 132 kV 2010/11 Planned
9 Sanjen-Chilime 132 kV 2010/11 Planned
10 Upper Mars-Middle Mars 132 kV 2011/12 Planned
Transmission Lines Planned/Proposed
for Power Evacuation contd.
S. No. Transmission lines Proposed year Status
11 Kabeli-Duhabi 132 kV 2011/12 Planned
12 Upper Tamakosi-Khimti 220 kV 2012/13 Planned
13 Tamor-Kabeli 132 kV 2013/14 Planned
14 Kankai-Duhabi 132 kV 2013/14 Planned
15 Upper Karnali-Kohalpur 132 kV 2013/14 Planned
16 Upper Seti-Bharatpur 220 kV 2013/14 Planned
17 West Seti-Ataria 132 kV 2014/15 Planned
18 Likhu-Khimti 132 kV 2017/18 Planned
19 Rahughat-Pokhara 132 kV 2017/18 Planned
20 Dudh Kosi-Dhalkebar 220 kV 2018/19 Planned
21 Andhi khola-Butwal 132 kV 2020/21 Planned

22 Lamosanghu-Singati 132 kV T/L Planned

 Planning Dilemma
 For what capacity to plan the transmission
network? Who can expand transmission when
nobody knows what is required? For 83000 MW /
42000 MW? Or for 3200 MW for 2025/26?
 Planning horizon?
 Operational planning of one year.
 Medium term 1 to 5 years
 Long term more than 5 years
 Where does the money come from if NEA is to
satisfy IPPs’ demand?
 Over investment: low network utilization
 Planning Dilemma contd.
 Under investment: limit the use of renewable,
increase congestion
 A transmission system should have ample margin
to allow for contingencies and should deal with
the uncertainties of long range forecasts.
 A properly designed transmission system provides
a good distribution of power flows by avoiding
excessive geographic concentrations of generating
sources or transmission paths.
 Planning Dilemma contd.
 Performance standards provide the basis for
determining whether system response to the
contingency tests is acceptable. What limits/
values to be adopted for these performance
standards: thermal, voltage, relay, stability and
short circuit.
 The maintenance is another issue. An economic
network or maintain economy in the life cycle.
 What contingency levels to be followed? N-1, N-2
or N-3?
 Planning Dilemma contd.
 Multiple contingency events include the loss of:
 A tower-line with three or more circuits
 All transmission lines on a common right-of-way
 Any transmission station including associated
generation
 All generating units at a power plant
 A transmission line or transformer when another
transmission line or transformer is out
of service
 Development Options and Issues

 Generation and Transmission expansion case of chicken

or egg story.
 For unhindered development of transmission network,
Develop networks on the basis of investment, ownership
and purpose :
 INPS owned by Central Transmission Utility (CTU)

 Commercial or merchant lines of private companies

 Cross border lines connected to INPS

 Dedicated cross border lines

 Development Options and Issues
 Issue is who will, when and how plan
expansion, approve, implement and own it
and operate transmission systems
concerning above models.
 Investment for speedy growth is another
issue.
 Government should invest in transmission.
 Economic feasibility instead of financial feasibility
 Development Options and Issues
 Shall we have a Central Transmission Utility (CTU)?
 If we have a CTU then shall we have more than one
domestic transmission operators?
 How shall we attract private investment in transmission?
 How to fix wheeling charges: MW Miles, capacity
booked or postage stamp
 Shall we issue transmission licenses anywhere,
everywhere like generation licenses?
Development Options and Issues
 For what capacity shall we develop our network :
 Shall we have separate domestic and export networks?
Or allow domestic network for sole export plants?
 What will be interface of domestic and export network,
AC Synchronous or HVDC back to back?
 How shall we export internal surplus through domestic
network?
 NEA as net integrator and nodal agency?

 Generators themselves? (Use of CTU network)

 Trading companies (Use of CTU network)

 Transmission System for Future
 Plan for a long horizon.
 North South River basin plans:
 Kosi Basin
 Gandak basin
 Karnali-Mahakali Basin
 Southern East West Trunk Line
 Mid Hill East West Trunk Line
 Export System

Overall INPS Scheme
(Courtesy: S.S. Bhat)
Trishuli

Modi Damauli Kathmandu Khimti

Bharatpur Hetauda Duhabi

Lamki
Butwal Dhalkebar

Basin Transmission Plan
(Courtesy: S.S. Bhat)

90~120 km

Mid hill
trunk
line

Southern
Trunk line

MPP to Trunk Line : 30~40 km Mini Pooling Point

SPP to SPP or MPP: 30~60 km Sub Pooling Point
Mini PP to Mini PP or SPP or MPP : 20~30 km Main Pooling Point
We are pulling North South lines for each P/S
Thank You