Oct 13, 2018-
Tamakoshi Jalvidyut Company has initiated the development of a cascade plant downstream of the Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project which is currently under construction. Tamakoshi V will use the water from the tailrace of the 456 MW Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project to turn its turbines to generate 99.8 MW of hydroelectricity.
Tamakoshi Jalvidyut, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), is planning to start the construction of the Tamakoshi V Hydroelectric Project by mid-2019. It has already called for tenders to prequalify contractors to implement the first package of the project which includes civil and hydromechanical works.
According to the company, it will soon invite tenders to prequalify contractors for the second package of the project which includes electromechanical works. Prequalified applicants will have to participate in the final bidding process to get the contract for the construction of the hydroelectric project. They will be evaluated based on their technical and financial proposals. First, the technical proposals of the contractors will be evaluated, and the lowest bidder among the technically qualified ones will be awarded the contract.
“It will take around six months to complete the entire procurement process,” said Nasib Man Pradhan, CEO of Tamakoshi Jalvidyut Company. “Our target is to start the construction of the project by mid-2019.”
As Tamakoshi V will be built downstream of Upper Tamakoshi and make use of the water discharged by it, a separate dam will not be required, which means the project can be built at little cost. According to Pradhan, the project will be developed at an estimated cost of $150 million and is seeking financial assistance from the Asian Infrastructure Development Bank (AIIB).
Officials of the China-based multilateral lender have already visited the project site in Dolakha district. “Although a decision has not been made regarding the loan, we have signed an aide-memoire with the multilateral lender to finance the construction of the project,” said Pradhan.
While efforts are being made to expedite Tamakoshi V, the construction of the Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project upstream has been delayed. Upper Tamakoshi, with more than 95 percent of the construction works completed, has stalled due to dillydallying by the Indian contractor hired to execute the hydromechanical works.
The Indian contractor is yet to start fitting the penstock pipe in the tunnel which is the major component of its task. The penstock pipes deliver water from the tunnel to the turbines in the powerhouse to rotate them to generate electricity.
Source: The Kathmandu Post
