TEHRATHUM, June 29: Monsoon-triggered floods have damaged under-construction upper Khorungwa KHola hydropower project, incurring loss of about Rs 15 million.
The hydropower project capable of producing 7.5 megawatts electricity has sustained damages to its sluice gate and gravel trap due to floods induced by heavy rain, incurring a loss of Rs 15 million,” said Mohan Dangi, managing director of Tehrathum Power Company.
The hydropower project is based in Iwakhola of Menchhyayem rural municipality.
Bhupati Shrestha, chairman of Tehrathum Power Company, said the power production schedule, however, will not be affected despite damages to the infrastructure of the power project. According to him, the company will start generating power six months before the power purchase agreement (PPA) signed with the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA).
According to the PPA schedule, the company will start producing electricity from June 16, 2019 while the schedule date is December 17, 2019.
Mini-hydro project canal washed away
A total of 40 percent of the construction work has been completed so far. The construction of dam, power house and laying pipe lines has been completed.
Rs 1.37 billion will have been spent once the project is over.
The power produced from the hydropower company will be supplied through transmission lines to the 33-KV Jirikhimti Substation which is 4.5 km from the power house site.
The project got momentum after Machhapuchchhre Bank, NMB Bank and Janata Bank agreed to invest Rs 1 billion in the project while the remaining fund has been raised by promoters, local and general people (locals -10%, general people-20% and promoters-70 %), said Shrestha.
