Power Sector of Bhutan

Bhutan Power Corporation Limited

Outline of the Presentation:

• Salient geographical features of Bhutan

• Hydropower Development in Bhutan

• Power Supply & Demand

• Transmission Network

• Present Transmission Works

• Future Transmission Works

• Other Projects

• Other Issues

Salient geographical features of Bhutan:

• Located in the Eastern

Himalayas

• Area – 38,394 sq. km

• Forest cover – 80.89%

(Excluding Shrubs: 70.46%)

• Population – 6,34,982 (2005

Census) (700,000 by 2011)

• Altitude range from 100 –7500

meters above mean sea level

• Stretch of 170 km north to

south and 300 km east to west

• Climate – generally 4 seasons

(Spring, Summer, Autumn, and

Winter)

• Religions: Buddhism, Hinduism

Hydropower Development in Bhutan:

• Total Hydro Power Potential = 30,000 MW (Techno-

Economically Feasible : 24,000 MW)

• Total Installed Hydro Generation Capacity = 1488

MW (from 28 power plants sizes ranging 8 kW to

1020 MW)

• First hydropower plant of 360 kW built in 1967 in

Thimphu (Capital)

Hydropower Development in Bhutan (Contd.):

• First CDM (Clean Development Mechanism) micro

hydro (Chendebji) – 70 kW commissioned in August

2005

• Remaining to be developed = 71 large sites that have

been identified ( 22,280 MW)

• 10,000 MW hydropower generation capacities to be

developed by 2020.

Power Supply & Demand:

• Electricity export - About 75% of the generation

• Annual export estimate = 7,216.53 MU (2010)

• Revenue from sale of electricity contributes to 40%

of national revenue.

• Bhutan’s consumption + losses = 1,628.03 MU (2010)

Sl.

No.

Name of

Hydropower Plant

(HP)

Year of

commissioning

Installed

Capacity

(MW)

Average

Annual

Generation

in MU1 Chhukha HP 1986-1988 336 2,024

2 Basochhu HP - Upper

Stage

1999 22 105

3 Kurichhu 2000- 2001 60 400

4 Basochhu HP - Lower

Stage

2004 40 291

5 Tala HP 2006-2007 1,020 4,865

Total 1,478 7,865

Existing Major Hydropower Plants (HP):

Power plants in pipeline:Sl.

No. River Basin Project Name

Installed

Capacity (MW)

Construction

Period

1. Punatsangchhu Punatsangchhu-I 1200 2007 – 2014

2. Mangdechhu Mangdechhu 770 2009 – 2016

3. Punatsangchhu Punatsangchhu-II 990 2009 – 2016

4. Bumthangchhu Chamkharchhu-I &II 670/570=1240 2014 – 2020

5. Drangmechu Kuri Gongri 1800

6. Drangmechhu Kholongchhu 485 2020 – 2024

7. Amochhu Amochhu (Dorokha) 500

8. Nikachhu Nikachhu 210

9. Kurichhu Rothpashong 400

10. Dagachhu Dagachhu CDM 114 2007 - 2011

11. Punatsangchhu Sunkosh 2500

Total MW 10,064

• Length of 400 kV D/C lines 74.143 km

• Length of 220 kV D/C lines 35.780 km

• Length of 220 kV S/C lines 183.739 km

• Length of 132 kV S/C lines 379.484 km

• Length of 66 kV S/C lines 267.196 km

• Length of 66 kV D/C lines 5.960 km

• Length of 66 kV M/C lines 3.405 km

Total Transmission Line Length 949.707 km

Existing Transmission Network in Bhutan

Existing Transmission Substation in Bhutan

Sl.

No.

Substation Qty (Nos.) Capacity

(MVA)

1 400 /220/66kV substation 1 200

2 220 /66kV substation 2 160

3 132kV substations 7 102

4 66kV substations 11 199.5

5 33kV substations 1 3

6 66kV Switching Station 1 -

Total 23 664.5

Transmission Network in Bhutan:

Transmission works completed recently:

• 220 kV S/C from Rurichhu to Tsirang-47.50 km

• 132 kV S/C line from Tingtibi to Yurmoo- 32.60 km

• 132kV S/C from Deothang to Rangia - 56.46 km

• 66 kV Yurmoo to Trongsa- 20.3 km and 66 kV Yurmooto Bumthang- 34.70 km

Present Transmission Works:

Transmission Lines under construction:

• 400kV D/C Transmission line from Punatshangchhu toLhamoizingkha- 2 x 86 km

• 220kV D/C Transmission line from Dagachhu, Tsirang to Jigmeling -48. 2 km

• 220kV D/C Transmission Line from Malbase-Samtse- 43kms

• 132 kV D/C East-West Link from Lodrai to Jigmeling – 12 km

• 66kV S/C Transmission Line from Samtse to Sipsu- 35km

• 66kV S/C Transmission Line from Samtse to Gomtu- 15km

Present Transmission Works(Contd.):

Present Transmission Works(Contd.):

Substations under construction:

• 220/132kV substation at Jigmeling

• 220/66kV substation at Tsirang

Present Transmission Works(Contd.):

Transmission Line & substation construction under

NIT/Limited bidding:

• 132/33kV substation at Yurmoo (Trongsa)

• 400 kV line from Mangdechhu to Jigmeling via Goling poolingstation

• 400 kV line from Punatshangchhu-II to Jigmeling

• 66kV line from Pangrizampa,Thimphu to Damji,Gasa

Future Transmission Works:

• 400 kV lines from 2500 MW Sunkosh HEP to Alipore

• 400 kV line from Amochhu/Torsa Projects to Siliguri (newBinnaguri) pooling station

• 220/66/33 kV substation at Dhamdhum Industrial Estate(Samtse)

• 66/33 kV substation at Sipsu (Samtse)

Future Transmission Works (Contd.):

• OPGW & ADSS Interlinking

- Live line replacement of existing ground wire with OPGW in 220kV Transmission

Lines between Thimphu and Phuentsholing: 86kms (completed)

- Live line replacement of existing groundwife with OPGW in 132kV & 66kV

Transmission Lines: 394.58 kms (completed)

- All Dielectric Self Supporting (ADSS) Optical fibre cables on BPC distribution poles

at 33kV & below: 1290 kms (ongoing)

• National Load Dispatch Centre

• ERP Implementation

Other Projects:

Other Projects (Contd.) :• BPC plans to replace all the ground wire of 66 kV and above

lines with OPGW.

Other possible Business Associations :

• Mini/Micro Hydro project

• Long Term Turn-key Project Association

• Long Term O&M association – Live Line and Technical Know-how Transfer

• Continuous need-based Personnel Interaction / Training

Other Issues:

Future expansion as per SATURN:

BHUTANNEPAL

BANGLADESH

INDIA

INDIA

CHINA

THANK YOU