Construction of Upper Trishuli-1 to start soon

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    trishuli-1KATHMANDU: The Upper Trishuli-1 — 216 MW — hydroelectricity project, located in Rasuwa, will kickstart project construction within September.

    The project, promoted by Nepal Water and Energy Development Company Ltd (NWEDC), is going to start the construction of a 15km long access road to the project site within this month, according to a press release issued by the company.

    It has already completed the Engineering Design Approval of Environment Impact Assessment Report, drilling and drifting works, company registration, financial arrangement of equity capital, tree cutting approval and land acquisition.

    “The project, once completed, will help reduce daily load shedding by three to four hours,” said CEO of NWEDC Kim Kyung Sik. The construction of the project that will begin by December is expected to be completed by 2019.

    NWEDC is a predominantly South Korean consortium with stakes of three South Korean companies — Korea South East Power Company Ltd, Daelim Industrial Company Ltd, and Kyeryong Construction Industrial Company Ltd —International Finance Corporation and a Nepali partner — Bikesh Pradhananga.

    The project — expected to start commissioning in March 2019 — will generate 1456 GWh of energy.

    “The Upper Trishuli-1 project is expected to be one of the largest hydroelectric power projects in Nepal in terms of investment. It will increase existing hydroelectric generation capacity in Nepal (651 MW from hydropower only) by almost 1/3rd (216 MW) and will add around 50 per cent (1456 GWh) of electricity to the current annual electricity generated in Nepal. It will help meet the huge unmet demand of electricity in Nepal,” said Sik.

    This ‘run of the river’ project that will be completed by April 2019 and will start energy transmission — is expected to cost $550 million.

    The project site is located at a distance of 70km north-west from Kathmandu, and its proximity with the Kathmandu load centre will help in reducing power cuts in the capital.

    Source : The Himalayan Times