MYAGDI, March 4: The 48.5 MW Upper Rahughat Hydroelectric Project, located on the Rahughat River flowing through Raghuganga Municipality of the district, has entered its final stage.
Tundi Power, the promoter of the project, has completed the construction of the dam, powerhouse, tunnel, and transmission lines. The installation of equipment in the powerhouse is now in its final phase. Narottam Karki, the residential engineer for the project, stated that work is progressing rapidly, with plans to start electricity production by July 2025.
"As of now, civil works are 95 percent complete, hydromechanical works are 80 percent complete, and electromechanical works are 70 percent complete," he said. "Except for the control room in the powerhouse and the tailrace that channels water back into the river, we have finished all physical construction."
Hydromechanical Engineer Ghanshyam Bhattarai from Tundi Power said that the installation of turbines and generator equipment inside the powerhouse was progressing rapidly.
The project, with the dam located in Raghuganga-7 Chimkhola and the powerhouse in Raghuganga-4 Dagnam, includes a 4,900-meter-long tunnel. "The installation of the 680-meter-long penstock pipe from the outlet to the powerhouse is almost complete, with only around 100 meters remaining. We have also started constructing the switchyard to connect the electricity generated in the powerhouse to the transmission line," he said.
Engineer Bhattarai stated that Tundi Power will start testing the 37.5 MW Mangale Rahughat Hydroelectric Project within a month. He confirmed that the dam in Raghuganga-8 Bandhi, the powerhouse in Raghuganga-7 Chimkhola, and the 5,328-meter-long tunnel are all complete.
The construction of the Upper Rahughat dam allows water from Chimkhola Bagar Khola to be diverted to the Mangale Rahughat powerhouse. Bhattarai also said that the estimated cost for both projects is Rs 13 billion.
The construction of a 200 kV, 14-kilometer transmission line from the Rahughat Substation in Raghuganga-3 Ambang to Chimkhola, which will connect the electricity generated from Upper Rahughat and Mangale Rahughat to the national transmission line, has entered its final stage.
Due to delays in the construction of the substation at Ambang by the Nepal Electricity Authority, authorities are preparing to connect the electricity to the national transmission line through alternative means. Joint Energy Pvt. Ltd. is constructing the 21.3 MW Thulo Khola Hydroelectric Project, and Upper Thulo Khola Hydropower Limited is building the 22.5 MW Upper Thulo Khola Hydroelectric Project in the Thulo Khola, a tributary of the Rahughat River.
Raghuganga Hydro Limited, a subsidiary of the Nepal Electricity Authority, is constructing the 40 MW Rahughat Hydroelectric Project on the Rahughat River.