Super Ghalemdi Hydropower Pvt. Ltd. has begun construction of the access road for the 9.14 MW Super Ghalemdi Hydropower Project in Myagdi. The project is being developed in Annapurna Rural Municipality-4.
The project has started building an access road linking the proposed dam site at the foothills of the Annapurna Himal with the confluence of the Ghalemdi and Relekhola rivers in Narchyang.
According to resident engineer Prakash Bhattarai, two kilometers of the total 5.5-kilometer access road have already been completed, while a staff accommodation building has also been prepared.
He said road access to the powerhouse site has been established, and land leveling and hill-cutting works have begun. Once the access road is completed, construction of the dam, powerhouse, penstock pipeline, and transmission line will move forward simultaneously.
The project, estimated to cost around Rs 1.80 billion, is targeted for completion within the next two years. Water will be diverted from the dam site through a 4.2-kilometer-long pipeline and dropped from a height of 420 meters to generate electricity at the powerhouse.
The project stated that all land required for construction is publicly owned. Out of 1,400 trees within the project area, permission has already been obtained to cut 546 trees, while the remaining approval process is underway.
The company said financing proposals have been submitted to Global IME Bank and Machhapuchchhre Bank. The project investment structure will consist of 70 percent bank loans and 30 percent equity. Locals from the affected area will also be offered 10 percent shares in the project.
Currently, five hydropower projects with a combined capacity of 162 MW are in operation in the Narchyang area. According to ward chairperson Lok Bahadur Pun, these include the 5 MW Ghalemdikhola, 42 MW Mristikhola, 38 MW Nilgiri-1, 71 MW Nilgiri-2, and 6 MW Relekhola hydropower projects.
Similarly, the 66.3 MW Middle Kaligandaki Hydropower Project is under construction on the Kaligandaki River flowing along the Narchyang border, while the 184 MW Kaligandaki Gorge Hydropower Project, promoted by Kaligandaki Hydropower Limited, is in the preparation stage.
Jalasarokar