Technical Training Center (TTC) has organized a one-day workshop at Technical Training Center (TTC), Kathmandu University in collaboration with Center for Electric Power Engineering (CEPE) and Department of Electrical and Elctronics Engineering (DoEEE). Associate Director of TTC, and Head of CEPE Dr. Diwakar Bista planned this event to gather professionals from different domains for proactive interactions. In the event, there were more than 50 participants from different academic institutions, the national utility company (NEA), consulting companies, manufacturing companies, and research institutions.
The workshop is a part of the UNESCO-TWAS Visiting Expert Program which aims to provide institutions and research groups in developing countries with the opportunities to establish long-term links. Dr. Chandima Gomes, a distinguished professor in HV Engineering at the University of Witwatersrand, South Africa, was invited under this program by CEPE in collaboration with Lightning and Atmospheric Research Center (LARC). Dr. Bista expresses that it is a delightful moment for Kathmandu University to have a visiting professor listed among the world’s top 2% scientists (ranked by Stanford University in the year 2020).
The workshop was inaugurated by the Dean, Prof. Dr. Manish Pokharel, and by the Associate Dean, Assoc. Prof. Brijesh Adhikary, of the School of Engineering, with their opening remarks. In the workshop, the visiting professor, Dr. Gomes, interacted on different aspects of HV Engineering with the participants. The invited keynote speaker, Dr. Shriram Sharma, the chairman of LARC and South Asian Lightning Network (SALNet), shared his expertise in lightning protection. Also, one of the researchers of CEPE, Mr. Nasib Khadka, delivered his presentation on ‘Lightning Overvoltage Assessment on Overhead Power Networks using EMTP-RV’. The interaction program has been proven effective with the active participation of the attendees. Dr. Bista is optimistic to organize similar events in the future.
Mr. Aayush Bista, Researcher, concluded the technical session by sharing the milestones and the vision of CEPE. Dr. Shailendra Kumar Jha, the acting Head of the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, expressed his vote of thanks to everyone associated with the workshop. Dr. Jha also added that this event is an initiation for the HV Engineering-related research activities in the department.