The expansion of 33 KV transmission line in the Himalayan district of Mustang has progressed rapidly. Nepal Electricity Authority has extended the 33 KV transmission line from Kowang of Thasang Rural Municipality-2 of Mustang to Upper Mustang to Charang of Loghekar Damodarkund Rural Municipality at a distance of 103 km.

An 11 KV transmission line is currently in operation up to Korlanaka in Lomanthang in Upper Mustang, which is bordering Tibet, an autonomous region of North China. Nepal Electricity Authority has extended the access of 33 KV transmission line under the central transmission line to Kowang of Thasang-2. Now the plan has been advanced to connect it to the central transmission line across the district.

According to the electricity standards of Nepal Electricity Authority, it is believed that the distance of electricity transmission from one substation to another substation should not be more than 50 km. But at a distance of about 150 km from Kowang to Korlana, a direct 11 kV transmission line has been operating.

For this reason, problems and challenges have been seen in the power supply in Mustang time and time again. Since there are only 11 KV transmission lines, there is a compulsion to stop the supply of the entire district if there is a problem in one place.

With the goal of making electricity supply sustainable, reliable and efficient, Nepal Electricity Authority has signed a contract for the construction of 33 kV transmission line. A contract was signed with Paradise Hulas JKB JV in July 2023 for the construction of substations from Kowang to Chaile and from Chaile to Charang in two sessions at a cost of 27 million 65 million rupees to expand 33 kV transmission line. According to engineer Deepak Kumar Mandal, the representative of

JV, the work of a new 33 kV transmission line has been started by completely replacing the existing 11 kV transmission line. According to the contract agreement, the target is to complete the work by July 2025.

Paradise Hulas JKB JV has said that about 95 percent of the pole burial work has been completed, including the digging of 6 feet deep hole and PCC.

Within the next six months, the work is being done at a rapid pace with the goal of pulling the wires of the transmission line and handing it over to the Nepal Electricity Authority. About 25 km from Kowang to Jomsom, wire pulling work has been completed. According to the

Engineer Mandal, "Currently, wire pulling work is being done in some places including Jomsom and Thini. We are preparing to deploy another team as the weather is favorable in Upper Mustang as well."

After the completion of the 33 KV transmission line up to Charang, it is planned to put the line into operation as a test and hand it over to the authority.

Similarly, the Nepal Electricity Authority has announced a contract for the construction of two substations in Waragung Mukti Kshetra-3 Chaile and Loghekar Damodarkund-1 Charang in Mustang a year ago, Lopsang Chomphel Bisht informed.