Flood Hit Rahughat Hydropower Resumes Production After 11-day Repair

Kathmandu: Rahughat Hydropower Project that was adversely affected by the September 27 flood, has resumed its production from Thursday.

The 40 MW power project has restarted its operation after 11 days of repairing. The project sustained damage during the flood on Kaligandaki River triggered by the incessant rain.

The flood had caused inundation within the powerhouse and damaged critical structures and equipment. After completing necessary repairs and technical work, one of the project's units (20 MW) was brought into operation on Thursday.

The flood damaged the tailrace gate—used to discharge water back into the Kaligandaki River after power generation—allowing water to enter the powerhouse and cause flooding. This forced a shutdown of the plant, which had only recently completed construction and begun trial production.

Ganesh KC, managing director of the project developer company Raghuganga Hydropower Limited, stated that one unit was brought online after removing the accumulated water and repairing the flood-damaged structures and equipment. "We have resumed electricity generation from one unit within 11 days after repairing the structures and equipment damaged by the flood," he said. "Work is underway to bring the other unit into operation soon."

The plant consists of two generation units, each with a capacity of 20 MW. The generated electricity is fed into the national grid via the Kaligandaki Corridor 220 kV transmission line.