KATHMANDU: Incessant rainfall and flooding triggered by the monsoon since Sept. 24 have damaged transmission lines and forced the closure of multiple power plants across Nepal. The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) reported that the disruption has significantly impacted power supply, particularly in Gandaki Province.
The outage of the Kaligandaki Corridor transmission line has halted generation from 13 power plants, resulting in a loss of approximately 370 megawatts. Additionally, 14 other generation facilities located in Myagdi, Syangja, Kaski, Lamjung and Tanahun districts have been shut down due to excessive river flow, cutting off another 630 megawatts. In total, approximately 1,000 megawatts of electricity generation is currently offline. The NEA stated that it has reduced power supply to some industrial sectors to maintain the stability of the national grid.
Infrastructure damage has also been reported at the 40-megawatt Rahughat Hydropower Station, where the Kaligandaki River eroded the facility’s switchyard. Meanwhile, water levels at the Indra Sarovar reservoir in Kulekhani reached 1526.42 meters as of 1 p.m. today. The authority confirmed that the Kulekhani plant is operating at full capacity around the clock to manage the water level and ensure it remains within safe limits.
