KATHMANDU, Jan 10: Butwal Power Company (BPC) has decided to shut its 12 MW-capacity Jhimruk Hydropower in Pyuthan district, after locals attacked the plant inflicting loss of around Rs 60 million on the company.
The company has said it would resume power generation only after the government ensures security at the plant.
The decision means Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) will lose 216,000 units of power a day at a time when the country is facing daily power cuts of 12-14 hours.
“Jhimruk Hydropower will remain shut until the government makes necessary security arrangement at the power plant,” Pratik M S Pradhan, vice president of BPC, said in a press meet in the capital on Wednesday. “Workers and technicians at the plant are scared; they are not in a position to resume works.”
The locals had attacked the plant after BPC decided to enforce load-shedding in the district following the direction of NEA. “We had imposed six-hour power cut in the district after NEA directed us to do so,” said Pradhan.
BPC, which is generating 21 MW of hydropower from its three plants — Aandhikhola (9 MW), Khudi (4 MW) and Jhimruk, has also demanded strong action against the people involved in the attack. It has also sought compensation for the loss it incurred.
“The attack has deeply disturbed us,” Ranjan Lohar, CEO of BPC, said in the press meet. He further said the attack had unleashed a situation of panic among hydropower developers. “How can the government expect fresh investment in the hydropower sector when power plants are in constant fear of attacks?”
Meanwhile, Independent Power Producers´ Association Nepal (IPPAN) has condemned the attack on the power plant. “The attack on Jhimruk Hydropower is an attack against the country and its priority,” IPPAN said in a statement. “It is unfortunate that the plant was attacked just because it followed the instructions of NEA.”
The association has strongly urged the government to take action against those involved in the attack and provide compensation to the company.
Additionally, IPPAN has requested the government to form a committee to look into the incident.
Source : Republica Online
———————————————————————————————————————
झिमरुक जलविद्युत् बन्दले १० मेगावाट घाटा
काठमाडौ, पुस २५ –
दैनिक १२ घन्टा लोडसेडिङ भइरहेका बेला १० मेगावाट क्षमताको झिमरुक जलविद्युत्बाट बिजुली उत्पादन बन्द हुँदा दैनिक २ लाख युनिट बिजुली कटौती भएको छ । प्यूठानमा लोडसेडिङ भएको विषयमा भएको तोडफोड तथा आगजनीपछि सोमबारदेखि आयोजना बन्द छ ।
कम्पनीका अनुसार करिब ६ हजारको जमातमा आएका स्थानीयले लोडसेडिङ मुक्त हुनुपर्ने माग गर्दै आयोजनामा तोडफोड गरेका थिए । बुधबार राजधानीमा आयोजित पत्रकार सम्मेलनमा झिमरुक आयोजना बनाउने बुटवल पावर कम्पनी
-बीपीसी) का प्रमुख कार्यकारी अधिकृत रञ्जल लोहारले विद्युत् प्राधिकरणको तालिकाअनुसार ५० प्रतिशत मात्र लोडसेडिङ गर्दा पनि तोडफोड भएको गुनासो गरे । जलविद्युत् सञ्चालन गर्न सुरक्षित वातावरण नभएकाले पावर प्लान्ट बन्द गरेको बताए । ‘आफ्नो तर्फबाट सरकारलाई चिठी पठाई सुरक्षाको माग गरेका छौं,’ उनले भने, ‘सुरक्षा नभएसम्म बिजुली बन्द रहने
छ ।’ आगजनीबाट आयोजनाको भवन ध्वस्त भएको लोहारले बताए ।
यसैगरी कम्पनीले त्यहाँ कार्यलयसँगै कम्पनीको व्यक्तिगत सामग्री तथा सवारीसाधनमा समेत क्षति पुगेको, कर्मचारीको मोबाइल खोसिएका जनाएको छ । क्षतिबारे यकिन विवरण आइनसके पनि
करिब ६ करोड रुपैयाँ हुन सक्ने लोहारले बताए । यसैगरी स्वतन्त्र ऊर्जा उत्पादकहरूको संस्था -इप्पान) का अध्यक्ष सुर्वणदास श्रेष्ठले तोडफोडप्रति खेद प्रकट गर्दै दिनदहाडै भएको हमलाबाट लगानीकर्ता हतोत्साहित हुने बताए । ‘ऊर्जा अभावको यस्तो विकराल स्थितिमा सञ्चालनमा रहेको जलविद्युत् आयोजनामा आक्रमण हुनु भनेको देश र जनता विरुद्ध आक्रमण हुनु हो,’ उनले भने ।
प्रस्तुति: कान्तिपुर
