LUMJUNG: Electricity Development Department Director General Dilli Bahadur Singh today said royalty payment to district development committees hosting hydro projects would be delayed as Nepal Electricity Authority had incurred loss.
Speaking at the inauguration of embankment construction of the 50 MW Upper Marsyangdi ‘A’ Hydro power in Lamjung, Singh asked the DDCs that are home to hydro power projects to have patience regarding royalty payment as Nepal Electricity Authority was operating at a huge loss.
Singh said, “NEA has incurred loss of Rs 40 million, hence, payment of the royalty will be delayed. Upon completion of any hydro power project, the concerned region and district get 38 and 12 per cent royalty respectively.” The soaring value of dollar, energy leakage, and old structures were reasons behind the loss, said Singh.
Singh claimed that electricity development department had given high priority to employment opportunity for locals. He also stated that study on construction of the 600 MW Upper Marsyangdi second project in Lamjung was going on and his department was eagerly awaiting its contract.
Meanwhile, Lamjung local development officer Bishnu Dutta Gautam said the district had not been paid the royalty as per the contract.
Embankment construction of the 50 MW Upper Marsyangdi ‘A’ hydro power project located at Bhulbhule of Lamjung, kicked off today.
After embankments are constructed at Bhulbhule, Khudi, Bahundanda, and Ngadi, a power house will be set up on the banks of the Marsyangdi with the construction of a 6.5 km-long tunnel. Three km of the tunnel has been dug so far. It is estimated that the hydro power will become commercially operational in three years.
Sino Hydro, a Chinese company, has invested 90 per cent and the remaining 10 per cent has been invested by Sagarmatha hydro power, a Nepali company. Run-of-the River technology is being used in the construction. A total of Rs 10 billion has been estimated for completion of the hydro project in two years.
Source : The Himalayan Times
