KATHMANDU: The district of Ilam has been struggling with consistent power supply issues for the past three years due to recurring natural disasters.
The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) distribution centre in Ilam reported that floods and landslides have repeatedly damaged power lines and utility poles, hindering service delivery.
NEA Ilam chief Revat Kumar Chaudhary stated that 6,300 wooden utility poles need to be replaced, but only 200 have been replaced so far. Although two electrification projects are currently underway, delays in their completion have prevented the delivery of reliable electricity to consumers. Chaudhary noted that the lack of manpower and insufficient supply of new poles have exacerbated the risks during disaster events.
The district is also facing a severe shortage of high-capacity transformers. After 50 kVA transformers burned out in Mai Municipality and Maijogmai Rural Municipality, the authorities were forced to install 15 kVA units, which are insufficient for local business operations. Furthermore, there is a shortage of electricity meters to meet consumer demand. The reliance on a single feeder to supply electricity to multiple regions, combined with a lack of regular maintenance on transmission lines, has left many residents in the dark for days at a time.
Badri Khadka, a local resident of Ilam Municipality-9, said that frequent power outages and voltage fluctuations have damaged household appliances like laptops and mobile phones. He added that the lack of regular maintenance, such as clearing debris and vegetation from power lines, has severely impacted the quality of service for consumers.
