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 EasternHimalayas

• Area – 38,394 sq. km• Forest cover – 72.5%• Population – 6,34,982 (2005

Census)• 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, andWinter)

• 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 = 1488MW (from 28 power plants sizes ranging 8 kW to1020 MW)

• First hydropower plant of 360 kW built in 1967 inThimphu (Capital)

Hydropower Development in Bhutan (Contd.):

• First CDM micro hydro (Chendebji) – 70 kWcommissioned 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 MU

1 Chhukha HP 1986‐1988 336 2,0242 Basochhu HP ‐ Upper

Stage1999 22 105

3 Kurichhu 2000‐ 2001 60 4004 Basochhu HP ‐ Lower

Stage2004 40 291

5 Tala HP 2006‐2007 1020 4865Total 1478 7865

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 670 2014 – 2020

5. Bumthangchhu Chamkharchhu‐II 570 2017 – 2022

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 4,060

Total MW 9,764

• 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 2002 220 /66kV substation  2 1603 132kV substations  7 1024 66kV substations  11 199.55 33kV substations  1 36 66kV Switching Station 1 ‐

Total 23 664.5

Transmission Network in Bhutan:

Transmission works completed recently:

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

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

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

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

Present Transmission Works:

Transmission Lines under construction:

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

• 220 kV D/C Transmission line from Dagachhu to Jigmeling (viaTsirang)‐ 48. 2 km

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

• 220kV 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:

• 220kV D/C line from Malbase to Samtse –45km

• 132/33kV substation at Yurmoo (Trongsa)

• 400 kV line from Kholongchhu to Tali Buli Pooling station

• 400 kV line from Mangdechhu to Tali Buli Pooling station

• 400 kV from Punatshangchhu‐II to Jigmeling

• 400 kV multi‐circuit line from Tali Buli to Jigmeling Poolingstation and extension beyond the Indo‐Bhutan border toBongaigaon, Assam

Future Transmission Works:

• 500 kV HVDC lines from 4000 MW Sunkosh HEP to DamodarValley Project & Meerut

• 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

• Telecom Infrastructure – Fibre / Bandwidth

• National Load Despatch Centre

• Remote Metering Systems

• 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

BANGLADESHINDIA

INDIA

CHINA

THANK YOU