West seti hydropower project
KATHMANDU, March 16: Chairman of China’s Three Gorges Corporation Lu Chun has urged the government to look after resettlement and rehabilitation of the families that will be displaced by West Seti Hydropower Project.
During a meeting with Prime Minister Sushil Koirala, CEO of Investment Board Nepal (IBN) Radesh Pant and Minister for Energy Radha Gyawali, officials of the Chinese developer emphasized on resettlement and rehabilitation of people fearing that the project might have to encounter similar problems that other development projects in the country are facing.
The project is located in Doti, Dadeldhura, Bajhang and Baitadi districts. An estimated 20,000 people will be displaced by the project.
After over 6 yrs, Three Gorges walking away from West Seti
However, government officials have taken the visit of the Chairman of Three Gorges Corporation, the parent company of CWE Investment Corporation (CWEI) which is the developer of West Seti Hydropower Project, as a step ahead toward development of the project.
The 750-megawatt proj-ect is a storage type project. The government had signed Memorandum of Understa-
nding (MoU) with the developer in 2012. As per the MoU, Nepal Electricity Aut-hority (NEA) will have 25 percent equity investment in the project.
According to officials, Chun has sought market assurance from Nepal. He has also asked the government to build 500-km transmission line from the project site to Butwal.
Responding to Three Gorges officials, Minister Gyawali said they do not have to worry about market as there is an option of exporting power to India. She also said preparation of master plan to build cross-border transmission line between Nepal and India was under way.
Talking to Republica, IBN CEO Pant said Three Gorges wants Nepal to carry out resettlement and rehabilitation program so that they can focus on other construction works. On their concern on market and transmission line, Panta said he told the delegation that the government will stand by its words of purchasing electricity as stated in the MoU. “The signing of Power Trade Agreement (PTA) with India and Project Development Agreements with two mega projects as well as formation of stable government must have encouraged the Chinese developer,” added Pant.
CWEI has already sought foreign direct investment permission worth Rs 150 billion from IBN to invest in the project.
The Chinese delegation arrived Nepal on Friday.
