Kathmandu: Managing Director of the Nepal Electricity Authority, Hitendra Dev Shakya, has conducted an on-site inspection to review the latest progress of the 111-megawatt Rasuwagadhi Hydropower Project, which was damaged by flooding in the Lehende Khola (Bhotekoshi).
Upon reaching the project site, Shakya inspected key structures including the dam and the powerhouse and gathered information on their technical condition. The inspection team included Baburaj Maharjan, Chief Executive Officer of the Chilime Hydropower Project; Raja Bhai Shilpakar, Director of the Production Development and Support Department; NEA Director Shriram Pokharel; and Suraj Dahal, Chief of the Trishuli Hydropower Center, among others.
During the inspection, Managing Director Shakya praised the project’s technical team and staff for continuing their work with dedication despite challenging circumstances. “Bringing two units into operation through continuous effort even amid a state of psychological fear is commendable,” he said. “Even during the dry season, these two units are generating around 45 megawatts of electricity. This momentum must be maintained.
Stating that the progress achieved so far has been satisfactory, he instructed the team to move forward with further improvements while taking into account the damage caused by natural disasters. Emphasizing that the Authority is ready to provide the necessary support, Shakya pointed out that the current condition of the river differs from the original design, as the river has changed its course, and therefore highlighted the need to revise the design in line with this reality.
Built under the leadership of Chilime Hydropower Company, a subsidiary of the Nepal Electricity Authority, this run-of-river project had set a target of earning Rs 3.25 billion annually. However, due to extensive damage caused by flooding, the project has so far been able to generate only Rs 114 million in revenue, according to Chief Executive Officer Satyaram Jyakhwa.
He further informed that the project has already filed an insurance claim worth Rs 1.73 billion. “We are gradually returning to normal operations, and we will now move forward with additional preparations,” he said.
Santosh Adhikari informed that the project has set a target to generate 613.875 million units of electricity annually. Due to flooding in Rasuwa, construction works of projects with a combined capacity of around 350 megawatts were affected, while electricity generation from projects totaling 250 megawatts was also disrupted.
Jalasarokar