DoED Evaluating 19 Hydropower Projects, Including 9 Storage-Based Schemes

KATHMANDU; The Department of Electricity Development (DoED) has been studying feasibility and detailed studies of 19 hydropower projects of 5,089.02 MW that include nine storage projects.  

The projects that are of run-of-river (ROR), partial reservoir (PROR) and reservoir (storage) types are have been at their various stages and are located in disricts of Koshi, Bagmati, Gandaki, Lumbini, Karnali and Sudurpaschim provinces.

According to the DoED records, reservoir-based projects share the largest portion of the projects under study. A total of nine reservoir projects with total capacity of 3,642.15 MW are currently being studied. Of these, the 1,216 MW Khimti Those Shivalaya Reservoir in Ramechhap is the largest project.

Similarly, the 650 MW Kaligandaki-2 (Syangja), 640 MW Kaligandaki (Parbat), 325 MW Bharbung (Dolpa), 273.4 MW Tallo Badigad (Gulmi), 194.1 MW Suranyagad (Dadeldhura), 169.5 MW Chhera-1 (Jajarkot), 119 MW Madi Siti (Lamjung) and 55.15 MW Manahari Khola (Makawanpur) projects are in various stages of study.

Similarly, six projects of PROR nature with a capacity of 1,306.74 MW are among others under the DoED's study. These include the 681.2 MW Humla Karnali Cascade, 211.02 MW Bheri-2, 136.48 MW Upper Karnali 'B', 97.43 MW Dandagaun Khalanga Bheri, 89.35 MW Mugu Karnali, 49.26 MW Ghatganga and 42 MW Marsyangdi-3.

Likewise, the DoED has carried forward study of three projects of 140.13 MW based on river flow. These include Yanma Khola in Taplejung (65 MW), Tom Dogar Budhi Gandaki in Gorkha (40.2 MW) and Super Budhi Gandaki (34.93 MW).

Most of the large and high-capacity projects that DoED is considering for the study are located in Karnali and Gandaki provinces. The department has stated it has kept under high priority mainly the storage projects aiming to support the decade-long energy development goals set by the government and meet the country's electricity demand during the dry season.