West Seti 400 kV Transmission Line Moves Ahead Under PPP Model with Rs 20 Billion Plan

Nepal’s West Seti 400 kV transmission line is finally moving forward under a public-private partnership (PPP) model, marking a major step for one of the country’s important grid infrastructure projects. The plan carries an estimated cost of around Rs 20 billion and is being structured with 30 percent equity and 70 percent debt financing.

The project will be developed through a special purpose vehicle, or SPV, bringing together government-linked entities and private sector partners in a single company. According to the reporting, this structure is designed to help unlock financing and push the transmission line toward construction after years of uncertainty.

How the project is being structured

The West Seti transmission line will be built under a PPP framework in which the government side will hold 51 percent and the private sector 49 percent through the SPV model. The financing plan calls for roughly Rs 6 billion in equity and about Rs 14 billion in loans.

Six companies are expected to participate in the venture. On the private side, the reported shareholders include Samriddhi Energy Limited, Siuri Nyadi Power Limited, and Ngadi Group Power Limited. Government-side participants include Chilime Hydropower Company Limited, Chainpur Seti Hydropower Company Limited, and Rastriya Prasaran Grid Company Limited.

Why the line matters

The project is more than just another power sector investment. The 145-kilometer transmission corridor is intended to strengthen electricity evacuation capacity in western Nepal and support the broader integration of hydropower generation into the national grid.

According to the project brief, the line will run from Chainpur in Bajhang through Banlek in Doti and onward to Dodhara in Kailali, with associated substations also planned along the route. Land acquisition and survey work have reportedly already been completed, removing two of the biggest early-stage hurdles.

What happens next

RPGCL has said it is moving ahead with company registration and aims to begin construction in the next fiscal year. The PPP model is being positioned as the practical path forward for a project that had remained stalled while the government searched for a workable development structure.

If the financing closes as planned, the West Seti line could become an important test case for Nepal’s ability to use private capital to speed up strategic energy infrastructure.