PROJECT TO START GENERATING POWER BY SEPT- Upper Marsyangdi-A

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    The Upper Marsyangdi-A hydropower project is all set to start electricity generation by September, project officials have said.

    The 50MW project is currently conducting tests of turbine and other mechanical and electronic systems.
    A joint-venture of China’s Sino Hydro and Sagarmatha Power Company, the project had earlier announced to go online by August.
    “However, due to some technical issues, it has been delayed by a month,” said Karna Adhikari, public relations officer of the
    company. The project was started in 2012.
    A month ago, the project had successfully conducted test of the dam site in Nadi, Bhulbhule-5. Adhikari said the project started to conduct test run of the turbine on Tuesday. “Test of other electrical and mechanical systems will be conducted gradually.” According to project sources, the Chinese investors are not in a hurry to start power generation and want to first complete the testing to ensure the project’s reliability.
    The construction of the project was also largely affected by last year’s earthquakes and trade blockade.  After the border closure was lifted in February, the project started making rapid progress.
    The project will have two turbines each producing 25MW electricity. The powerhouse has been built at Bhulbhule-3 and a 6.5-km-long tunnel has been constructed to deliver water to the powerhouse from the dam site located at Bhulbhule-5.
    Sino Hydro has a 90 percent stake, while Sagarmatha holds the rest of the shares in the project.
    The estimated cost of the project is Rs12 billion, but the company said there would be cost overruns amounting to Rs1 billion due to the earthquakes and blockade.

    Source : The Kathmandu Post