MAKWANPUR, March 24: All three units of the Kulekhani Hydropower Plant in Makwanpur are now operating at full capacity as the dry season begins. The first, second, and third units have been brought into operation to meet electricity demand.
According to Tara Datt Bhatt, chief of Kulekhani I, the plant has been running at full capacity for 14 to 18 hours daily since March 16, with production adjusted based on demand. Kulekhani I generates 60 MW, Kulekhani II produces 32 MW, and Kulekhani III supplies 14 MW of electricity.
Water level at Kulekhani I Hydropower Station recedes, operatin...
Assistant Engineer Ram Kumar Budhathoki said the Kulekhani units are utilized during the dry season when run-of-river hydropower projects experience reduced output. "During the monsoon, run-of-river projects operate at full capacity, allowing us to store water in the dam. In the dry season, when their output declines, Kulekhani is activated," he said.
The plants are currently generating electricity for 14 to 18 hours daily, but if necessary, they can operate 24 hours a day, Budhathoki added.
From July 2024 to February 2025, Kulekhani I produced 81,209 MWh of electricity, a significant increase from the 34,388 MWh generated in the previous fiscal year.