National grid electricity reaches Tilicho lake base camp

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

Electricity supply has been started by bringing the national transmission line to the base camp at an altitude of 4,250 meters above sea level in Manang Ngisyang Rural Municipality-9. Power supply has been provided 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. There are 15 electricity customers in the base camp. Before reaching the national transmission line, the base camp was supplied with electricity from solar energy and diesel generators. The place falls within the Annapurna Conservation Area.

Chyolpa Gurung, Ward Chairperson of Manang Ngisyang Rural Municipality-9, said that there was a big problem of electricity supply in tourist places due to expansion of solar energy and said that now it is much easier after reaching the national transmission line.

After reaching the national line, a machine has been placed to measure the oxygen level for the hikers going to Tilicho Lake from the base camp. Gurung, who is also running a hotel in the base camp said “Water has been boiled using electricity, which has reduced the use of gas by about 40 percent.” He also mentioned that because firewood is expensive in that area, gas is used for cooking and boiling water.

33 KV power transmission line from the substation of Radhi small Hydropower station located in Marsyangdi-5 Ghermu of Lamjung to the 33/11 KV substation located in Chame Rural Municipality-1 Sarkyu. From the said substation,  11 KV line was taken to the base camp through Chame, the headquarters of Manang District. The Authority has operated 45 KW Chame Small Hydropower Station and 80 KW Manang Small Hydropower Station to supply electricity to Manang. As part of the Marsyangdi Corridor 220 KV transmission line project, the power supply of Manang will be improved after the construction of a 220 KV substation is completed in Nason rural municipality-1 Dharapani of Manang and the line is started from there.