Electricity reaches Tilicho base camp

The electricity of the national grid has reached the base camp of Tilicho Lake, a tourist spot in Manang.

According to the Nepal Electricity Authority, the national transmission line has been extended to the base camp at an altitude of 4,250 metres above sea level in Khangsar of Manang Ngisyang Rural Municipality-9 and started to supply electricity.

The electricity supply has been started in the area by keeping a distribution transformer of 50 KVA capacity at the base camp.

There are 10 hotels, health posts and small restaurants operating in the base camp. The NEA has now 15 customers in the base camp.

Before the national transmission line reached, electricity was produced and supplied locally with the help of solar panels and diesel generators at the base camp. The area is within the Annapurna Conservation Area.

According to Chyolpa Gurung, Ward Chairman of Manang Ngisyang Rural Municipality-9, people in the area were facing a big problem related to power supply in the tourist site as the backup of solar energy was insufficient. Because firewood is expensive in that area, gas is used for cooking and boiling water, he said.

Managing Director of NEA Kul Man Ghising, who reached Khangsar in Manang Ngisyang Rural Municipality-9 a few days ago, said that the electricity of the national transmission line was supplied to the base camp of Tilicho Lake as part of the campaign to light up the religious and tourist areas. 

“We were focused on bringing the national grid to the base camp, we will continue with high priority the line upgrade works to make the overall electricity supply of Manang district reliable and qualitative,” said Ghising during a discussion with the local people.

The 33 kV electricity transmission line extends from the substation of Radhi Sana Hydropower Centre located in Marsyangdi Rural Municipality-5, Ghermu of Lamjung to the 33/11 kV substation located in Chame Rural Municipality-1, Sakrew. From the said substation, 11 kV line was taken to the base camp via Chame, the district headquarters, said the NEA.

The NEA has operated the 45 KW Chame Small Hydroelectric Power Plant and the 80 KW Manang Small Hydroelectric Power Plant for power supply in Manang.