STATUS OF TRANSMISSION LINE AND EXPANSION PLAN IN NEPAL

1. STATUS OF TRANSMISSION LINE AND EXPANSION PLAN IN NEPAL S. Rajbhandari

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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

5. 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

6. Single Line Diagram of INPS

7. Modi Single Line diagram, INPS Trishuli MMRS Lamosangu KGA I Jhim M/ nagar Dubi Anarmani Htd Lamai Bhrtpr Butwal Chapur Dhalke Lahan Tanakpur Parwanipur India Birgunj

8. Integrated Nepal Power System (INPS) Map

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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?

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

16. 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.

17. 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 createbottlenecks or congestion. • Ultimately very little transmission expansion realized. Such expansions include (approx. 345 km):

18. 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)

19. 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.

20. Modi INPS MMRS Pokh KGA Lekh MRS Western Area Jhim Damau M/ nagar Htd Bard Kawasoti Lamai Butwal Bhrtpr Tanakpur

21. INPS Trishuli Lamosangu MRS Central and East Dubi Anarmani Htd Chapur Dhalke Lahan Bharatpur Parwanipur India Birgunj

22. Transmission Line Reinforcement Plan

23. Transmission Lines Planned/Proposed for Power Evacuation

24. Transmission Lines Planned/Proposed for Power Evacuation contd.

25. 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

26. 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.

27. 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?

28. 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

29. 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

30. 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

31. 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?

32. 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)

33. 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

34. Overall INPS Scheme Trishuli Damauli Kathmandu Khimti Modi • (Courtesy: S.S. Bhat) Bharatpur Hetauda Duhabi Lamki Dhalkebar Butwal

35. Basin TransmissionPlan • (Courtesy: S.S. Bhat) 90~120 km Mid hill trunk line Southern Trunk line Mini Pooling Point MPP to Trunk Line : 30~40 km SPP to SPP or MPP: 30~60 km Mini PP to Mini PP or SPP or MPP : 20~30 km We are pulling North South lines for each P/S Sub Pooling Point Main Pooling Point

36. Thank You