Kathmandu, 12 Jan 2025 – The Upper Trishuli-1 Hydropower Project, with an installed capacity of 216 MW under construction in Rasuwa district, has spent approximately NPR 1.7 billion in affected areas through its Community Support Rasuwa district Program (CSP).
The project’s promoter, Nepal Water and Energy Development Company Pvt. Ltd., has been supporting the affected areas through CSP, corporate social responsibility (CSR), and Indigenous Community Plan programs. The assistance covers education, healthcare, drinking water, road infrastructure, cultural preservation, relief distribution, livelihood enhancement, and income-generating activities.
Led by Korean companies with direct foreign investment, the project is currently constructing a dam and other structures in Aamachhodingmo Rural Municipality-1, Haku, and an underground powerhouse in Uttargaya Rural Municipality-1. The Upper Trishuli-1 is the largest hydropower project under direct foreign investment for domestic consumption.
After the 2015 Gorkha earthquake, which severely affected the project area, the company distributed relief materials, built temporary shelters, reconstructed school and health institution buildings, conducted medical camps, and provided helicopter rescue services.
For the first time in Nepal, the project has implemented the Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) policy with the indigenous and tribal communities. Special budget provisions were allocated to implement programs selected by the indigenous communities themselves, with NPR 250 million already spent.
Key Community Programs Implemented by the Project
| S.N. | Program | Budget (NPR) |
| 1 | Construction of Bailey Bridge on Trishuli River | 7,86,14,000 |
| 2 | Skill and Vocational Training | 81,43,000 |
| 3 | Educational Support Program | 72,29,000 |
| 4 | Dhunche Kholadol Road | 70,00,000 |
| 5 | Langtang National Park | 55,00,000 |
| 6 | Support to Local Associations/Institutions | 37,36,000 |
| 7 | Road Construction and Maintenance | 18,57,000 |
| 8 | Support to Religious Institutions | 13,00,000 |
| 9 | Drinking Water | 6,15,000 |
| 10 | District Police Office, Rasuwa | 4,97,000 |
| 11 | Indigenous and Ethnic Community Plan Implementation | 2,50,00,000 |
| 12 | Land Allocation for Haku Police Post (0.16 Hectares) | Land Allocated |
Economic and Employment Impact
The project has trained 121 individuals from affected families in Korean and Japanese languages, driving (light and heavy vehicles), electrical works, welding, tailoring, motorcycle repair, and beauty parlor skills at a cost of NPR 81.43 million.
Currently, about 1,000 workers are employed in the project, including 400 locals from Rasuwa, with 154 from directly affected households. During the five-year construction period, 800–1,000 Nepali workers will be employed daily.
Project Construction Status
The main construction began in Jan 2022, and work on the underground powerhouse, main tunnel, dam, and other structures is progressing rapidly, with 52% of the physical construction completed. The Korean company Doosan Enerbility is leading the project under the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) model.
