The Procurement of Plant for New Khimti Substation Augmentation project was undertaken for Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), Khimti Substation. The project covers an integrated scope of design, supply, construction/installation, testing, and commissioning required for the augmentation works at the New Khimti Substation.

The project comprises the following major components:

Extension of 220 kV GIS at New Khimti Substation.
Extension of 132 kV AIS at New Khimti Substation.
Extension of New 220/132kV , 4 x 66.66MVA Single phase Auto Transformer
Extension of New 132/33kV , 2 x 30MVA Three phase Power Transformer
Extension of New 33/11kV , 6/8 MVA Three phase Power Transformer
Construction of 33 kV Indoor Vacuum Switchgear System.
Construction of 11 kV Indoor Vacuum Switchgear System.
132kV, 1200 sq.mm XLPE cable for the transformer Bay.
33kV & 11kV XLPE Cable for Indoor Switchgear.
Fire Protection System for all Building and transformers
Integration and augmentation of the 220/132/33/11 kV electrical system, including associated equipment, protection, control, and auxiliary systems.

The project commenced on 10 March 2020 and is scheduled for completion on 6 July 2024 under Contract ID No. ICB No. RGK-75/76-02. Its multi-stage scope requires close coordination between engineering, plant supply, site construction and installation, testing, and commissioning activities to maintain continuity between each phase of implementation.

MSI is responsible for coordinating the specified project activities from design through commissioning. The execution approach brings together technical planning, procurement, site implementation, system verification, and commissioning within a structured framework to support completion of the substation augmentation in accordance with the defined project requirements.

Objectives

The project was designed to achieve the following goals:

To complete the design requirements for the New Khimti Substation Augmentation
To procure and supply the plant required under the project scope
To carry out the required construction and installation works for the substation augmentation
To maintain coordination between design, plant supply, construction, and installation activities
To test the installed plant and associated works prior to commissioning
To complete commissioning in accordance with the defined project requirements

Key Deliverables

The following systems, instruments, and tools were supplied, installed, and commissioned as part of the project:

Design and Technical Coordination

Design activities for the New Khimti Substation Augmentation
Coordination of design requirements with plant supply and site implementation activities

Plant Supply

Procurement and supply of plant required under the project contract
Coordination of plant supply with the requirements of the augmentation works

Construction and Installation

Construction activities associated with the New Khimti Substation Augmentation
Installation of the supplied plant in accordance with the project requirements
Coordination between construction and installation activities during site execution

Testing and Commissioning

Testing of the installed plant and associated works
Verification of completed installation works prior to commissioning
Commissioning of the completed augmentation works in accordance with the project requirements

Challenges

The project involved several technical, execution, and coordination challenges associated with implementing a substation augmentation through an integrated project scope:

Coordinating design, plant supply, construction/installation, testing, and commissioning as interconnected stages of the same project
Managing the interfaces between engineering requirements, supplied plant, and site installation activities
Planning the sequence of construction and installation activities to allow subsequent testing and commissioning to proceed systematically
Coordinating project stakeholders, suppliers, technical teams, and site personnel throughout an extended execution period
Ensuring that installation activities remained aligned with the applicable design and project requirements
Managing testing and verification requirements before progressing to final commissioning

Solution

MSI adopted a structured execution and coordination approach to address the technical and implementation requirements of the project:

Design activities were coordinated with the project requirements to establish the technical basis for plant supply and site execution
Procurement and supply activities were aligned with the requirements and sequence of the augmentation works
Construction and installation activities were planned in a systematic sequence to maintain coordination between different stages of implementation
Technical interfaces between design, plant supply, construction, and installation were managed throughout project execution
Testing activities were incorporated into the execution process to verify the installed plant and associated works before commissioning
Commissioning activities were coordinated as the final stage of the integrated project scope to support operational readiness of the completed augmentation works
Coordination among the relevant project stakeholders was maintained across the design, supply, construction/installation, testing, and commissioning stages

Impact

The New Khimti Substation Augmentation project supports the implementation of planned power infrastructure works for Nepal Electricity Authority through an integrated approach to design, plant supply, construction/installation, testing, and commissioning.

Supports the augmentation of the New Khimti Substation through coordinated project execution
Establishes continuity between design, procurement, construction, installation, testing, and commissioning activities
Supports systematic verification of installed plant and associated works before commissioning
Contributes to the operational readiness of the augmentation works following completion of testing and commissioning
Strengthens the implementation of power infrastructure through coordinated engineering and site execution

Conclusion

The New Khimti Substation Augmentation project represents an integrated power infrastructure assignment on Procurement of Plant for New Khimti Substation Augmentation (Design, Supply, Construction/Installation, Testing and Commissioning) covering design, plant supply, construction/installation, testing, and commissioning for Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), Khimti Substation. The project requires coordinated execution across multiple technical stages, from initial design activities through site implementation and final commissioning.

MSI's involvement reflects its capability to coordinate technically interconnected activities within a structured power infrastructure project. By integrating design, procurement, construction/installation, testing, and commissioning within the defined project scope, MSI supports the systematic implementation and operational readiness of the New Khimti Substation Augmentation works.