October 21: The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) will provide electricity to two large cement industries with foreign investment. Hongsi Shivam Cement, which started commercial production using diesel, is getting electricity after three years, while Huasin Cement which is currently under construction will also get electricity.

The switching station at Siddhalek in Dhading under the Marsyangdi-Suchatar 132 kV transmission line has been charged to provide electricity to Huasin Cement, which is preparing to start trial production by the end of October. NEA spokesperson Suresh Bahadur Bhattarai said that the industry will be supplied electricity as soon as it completes the construction of the substation.

Suraj Vaidya, the Nepali investment partner of Huasin Cement which is under construction in Dhading, said that the industry has prepared the necessary substations for electricity.

Stating that the industry has already built the substation itself, Vaidiya said that preparations have been made for testing the electricity. Stating that the target is to produce 3,000 metric tonnes of cement daily, Vaidya informed that the necessary machines have been installed in the industry.

He said that the industry will use maximum manpower from within the country. The industry has demanded 20 MW of electricity.

The two cement industries – Hongsi and Huasin – will consume 52 MW of electricity. Hongsi Shivam Cement, which operates in Nawalparasi, has already demanded 32 MW of electricity from NEA. It is said that Hongsi, which has been producing cement commercially since June 2075, will get electricity before or after the upcoming festival of Tihar.

The Bardaghat-Sardi (132 kV) transmission line project under Nepal Electricity Authority will provide electricity to the cement industry with an investment of Rs 36 billion.

Although the project had set a target of supplying electricity to the industry in April 2076 BS, the transmission line was disrupted due to felling of trees, tower management, and the coronavirus.

Project Chief Hari Pandey said that the industry would get electricity immediately before or after the upcoming festival.

"Even if the electricity supply is delayed for a few days due to the recent rainfall, the industry will get electricity within this month."

Hongsi Cement Industry officials said they are preparing to double the production as soon as they get electricity. The official also informed that investment will be added to double the production.

In the first phase, the industry, which is currently producing 6,000 metric tonnes of cement per day, will double its investment depending on the quality of electricity and produce 1,200 metric tonnes of cement per day.