Nepal to conduct tests on Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur line from tomorrow

Kathmandu February 11- Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), the state-owned power utility, will conduct tests on the Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur transmission line beginning Friday, commencing operation of the biggest Nepal-India transmission line project.

Once the test phase is over, Nepal is expected to import additional 80 megawatts of electricity using the 400kV double-circuit transmission line, construction of which began as early as 2007.

“The cable installation work on Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur transmission corridor will be complete by tomorrow,” NEA Managing Director Mukesh Raj Kafle told. “We are planning to charge the line on Friday to conduct the tests.” India had charged the line on January 30.

If the tests are successful, NEA will begin importing additional 80MW of electricity from February 16. Import of additional power will significantly aid Nepal, which is currently facing power cuts of over 14 hours per day.

“Currently, we are negotiating on price of electricity that we intend to bring in. Once negotiations are over, India will start supplying electricity,” Kafle said.