A 400 KV Dhalkebar substation has been constructed in Dhanusha, which is an important infrastructure for strengthening Nepal's internal power flow and Nepal-India bilateral trade.

The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has stated that no load charge has been levied to operate at full capacity of 400 KVA after connecting and testing all the technical equipments brought into operation at 220 KV capacity.

It has been constructed automatically with GIS technology so that it can exchange 1200 MW of electricity. The substation has three transmitters with a capacity of 315 MVA. Dhalkebar substation project chief Shukra Raj Devkota informed that no load charge has been started to operate the transformers at 400 KV.

"Three transformers of 315 MVA have started charging from 220 KV back feed to operate at 400 KVA," he said. ”

The NEA had set a target of such charges by mid-July, but due to the Corona epidemic, the equipment could not come from China. The high voltage testing machine was delayed when the Kerung checkpoint was closed due to corona panic.

NEA spokesperson Madan Timsena said that the substation was essential to supply electricity to the 456 MW Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project, which is nearing completion.

The substation will play a role in transporting electricity from Tamakoshi to Dhalkebar substation for internal consumption through 220 kV transmission line, he said, adding that the transmission line will also be used to import and export from India through Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur 400 kV cross-border transmission line.

The electricity generated from the Upper Tamakoshi project is being brought to Dhalkebar from Gongar of Dolakha through a 220 kV double circuit transmission line. For this, the project has completed the construction of Gongar-Khimti transmission line. The Khimti-Dhalkebar transmission line has already come into operation.

NEA Acting Executive Director Lekhnath Koirala informed that the Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur transmission line being constructed for Nepal-India electricity trade is now being operated at 400 KV as soon as the substation is ready.

In a tower in Muzaffarpur, India, the only thing left is to shift about 200 meters of wire to 400 KV. The Indian side has informed that this work will be completed by November 10. Koirala said, "We have become technically agile for Nepal-India electricity trade."

The 400/220 KV Dhalkebar substation under construction with an investment of around Rs 2 billion from the Government of Nepal and the Electricity Authority is the first substation in Nepal based on the 400 KV system. The construction of the gas insulated substation is being done by the Indian company ABB and the work of the consultant is being done by the Nepali company NEA Engineering.

The contract process for the construction of the substation was started from the Fiscal Year 2074/75. The substation has been ready in about two and a half years of construction.