Mr. Shakti Bahadur Basnet, Nepal Minister for Energy, inaugurated on 11 December 2023 the Kushma-Butwal power transmission line along the Kaligandaki corridor. The 90-kilometer, 220-kilovolt transmission line extends from Khurkot in Kushma Municipality-2, Parbat, to the New Butwal Substation at Suryabasti in Sunwal Municipality-13, Bardhaghat Susta Paschim. As many as 236 towers were erected along the transmission line.

The transmission line was funded by an investment of NPR11 billion (approx. $80.64 million) from the Government of Nepal, the Nepal Electric Authority, and the Asian Development Bank through the South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation program.

The transmission line is expected to facilitate stable power supply for the districts of Nawalparasi and Rupandehi in Nepal, by carrying power generated from hydropower projects in the Kaligandaki River and its tributaries. Mr. Basnet said the Kaligandaki corridor transmission line plays a vital role in supplying power across the east-west region of Nepal and supporting cross-border power trade. Mr. Kulman Ghising, executive director, Nepal Electricity Authority, said the New Butwal Substation is a major hub for power distribution within Nepal and for export to India.

• Kushma-Butwal 220 KV transmission line comes into operation
• Kushma- New Butwal 220 KV transmission line comes into operation