Nepal Infrastructure 
KATHMANDU: An international tender has been invited to implement the 400 KV high-capacity Transmission Line (TL) project under the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact of the American Cooperation Mission. Millennium Challenge Account Nepal (MCA-Nepal) has called the tender for the construction of a 315-km TL project and three high-capacity substations.
The tender has been invited to complete the TL in three packages. The contract for the 117 -km TL in Lapsifedi-Ratmate-Hetauda section has been invited under the first package. Similarly, under the second package, the contract has been called for 90-km from Ratmate in Nuwakot to New Damauli, while under the third package, another 90 km section from New Damauli to New Butwal has been invited. Three 400-kV substations will also be constructed under the TL project.
Another 400 KV substation will be constructed near the 220/132 KV New Butwal substation, which has been constructed and commissioned by the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA). The contractors selected to build the New Damauli-New Butwal transmission line and New Butwal substation has been invited to bid for the tasks. According to MCA-Nepal, the contract has been invited, keeping the Butwal-Gorakhpur portion as a temporary option due to the increase in cost caused by the delay in the construction of the TL for MCC Compact.
It will take six months from the date of the contract invitation to complete all the procedures and complete the contractor selection. It is estimated that construction of TL structure will begin in August 2023 once the contractor selection procedure is completed. Within five years of the commencement of construction works, the TL project should be completed.
In addition, preliminary work is currently being completed prior to the start of TL structure construction. Process of acquiring land, tree cutting, and constructing an access road to the construction area and other preliminary works are underway.
