NEA seeks Rs 10.86b for repair of power plants, distribution system

KATHMANDU, May 18: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has estimated the cost of repairing distribution network, substations equipment and office buildings damaged by the earthquake at Rs 10.68 billion.

The state-owned power utility submitted the estimated cost to the National Planning Commission (NPC) to incorporate in the upcoming budget.

"This is a preliminary estimation for repair and rehabilitation works," Ram Chandra Pandey, chief of Distribution and Consumer Services Directorate of NEA said.According to NOC officials, Rs 5.86 billion is needed for rehabilitation of distribution network and meter connection including the cost of meter and service cable. Similarly, NEA has estimated the cost to procure substation equipment, installation, testing and commissioning at Rs 76 million. Likewise, NEA has said it would need Rs 3.76 billion for reconstruction and repairing of physical infrastructures, including office buildings, staff quarters, guard rooms and boundary walls. The lump sum amount required for reconstruction also includes 10 percent contingency expenses.

Most of the staff buildings of hydropower projects like Sunkoshi Hydropower Project, Trishuli Hydropower Project and Devighat Hydropower Project have been completely damaged.

"As many staff buildings have been damaged, we have devised a plan to restore them at the earliest with a target of resuming normal operation of hydropower projects within a year," said Pandey.

All the projects in quake-hit districts, except Sunkoshi Hydropower Project in Sindhupalchowk which was undergoing reconstruction works after the Jure landslide of last year, have resumed power generation, according to NEA officials.

According to estimates, NEA needs two power transformers, four switch gears of 12 kV, 12 disconnecting switches, and 180 lightning arrestors. Likewise, it has to reconstruct 254 km of 33 kV transmission line and 501 km of 11 kV lines. Similarly, it needs 143,516 energy meters for restoration of power supply in damaged houses. NEA also needs 721 transformers and 49,634 poles.

NPC is holding discussions with the Ministry of Energy on programs for the next fiscal year. However, the cost of reconstruction of the plants owned by the independent power producers is yet to be estimated.

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