Singati Hydro Begins Test Generation

Kathmandu: The 25 MW Singati Hydropower Project built in the Singati River of Dolakha district has started test generation of power.

According to Sudip Khadka, account officer of the company, the project has started power generation test for the last one week after completing the entire construction work of the project.

According to him, all the structures of the project have been prepared and tested.

“Testing is done daily from 8 am to 12 noon and from 2 pm to 8 pm. If any problem is seen during the test, it needs to be repaired,” he said.

No major problem was reported during the test, said Khadka.

The dam of the project was tested a year ago. Equipment connected to the Desander Basin, tunnel, surge tank, penstock pipe and powerhouse were tested in June last year.

Power generation has been delayed as the Chinese technicians did not come in time. "It's an internal test," he said.

After a test by a team of Nepal Electricity Authority, it is considered successful and electricity can be distributed.

"We are happy after the completion of other projects, but we are not excited as we have to close the powerhouse as there is no place to sell the power even after the completion of the project," Khadka.

The powerhouse has two generation units of 12.2 MW. Ten banks, led by Civil Bank, have invested Rs. 3.30 billion in the project, which was completed at a cost of Rs. 4.63 billion.

It has a capital investment of Rs. 1.45 billion. The project has been delayed by one year due to lack of a transmission line.

Even after the completion of the project and reaching the production stage, electricity has gone to waste due to delays in completing the Singati-Lamosanghu transmission line.

The NEA had started construction of the transmission line 11 years ago. The construction of seven out of 124 towers of the transmission line was halted due to dispute.

The Rising Nepal