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Kathmandu, Aug 15: Work on the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Nepal Compact has resumed with the Millennium Challenge Account-Nepal (MCA-Nepal) signing two contracts worth $154.5 million for high-voltage transmission lines.

The projects, jointly funded by Nepal and the United States, will install 180 km of lines on the Ratamate–New Damauli and New Damauli–New Butwal sections, covering design, installation, testing, and commissioning.

The contracts, awarded through international bidding, went to Angelique-Skipper JV for Ratamate–New Damauli and Waiba-Salasar JV for New Damauli–New Butwal. The signing was attended by MCC’s Acting Deputy Vice President, U.S. Embassy officials, and senior Nepali government representatives.

US Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Jason Meeks called the deal a symbol of America’s long-term partnership with Nepal, aimed at boosting economic growth. Finance Secretary and MCA-Nepal Chair Ghanashyam Upadhyaya pledged full government support.

The MCC Compact, signed in 2017 and launched in 2023, represents a $697 million U.S.-funded investment in Nepal’s infrastructure. It focuses on strengthening electricity transmission, enhancing cross-border energy trade, and improving roads to drive private sector growth.

The projects had been stalled since January after a U.S. executive order, but Washington informed Nepal on July 24 that work could restart.

People’s News Monitoring Service