Upper Trishuli-1 Donates Ambulances to Amachhodingmo Rural Municipality

Rasuwa: The Nepal Water and Energy Development Company (NWEDC), the promoter of the 216 MW Upper Trishuli-1 (UT-1) hydropower project, has donated two ambulances to Amachhodingmo Rural Municipality. The project is sponsored by the Korean state-owned utility company KOEN as the main shareholder.

These modern, well-equipped ambulances have been provided to facilitate the transportation of patients from rural areas to nearby hospitals in Battar and Kathmandu for medical treatment.

Speaking at the handover ceremony in Rasuwa, Byeongsoo Min, CEO of NWEDC, stated that the company provided these ambulances, each worth NPR 2.5 million, as part of its Community Support Program (CSP) for remote villages affected by the project. He also acknowledged the support of the Ministry of Health and Population, which granted tax exemptions on the ambulance imports as per Government of Nepal (GoN) regulations.

The clearance process for the ambulance designated for Amachhodingmo has been completed, while the clearance for Uttargaya is in progress. CEO Min reaffirmed the project’s commitment to community support and emphasized the need for continued cooperation from local residents to ensure the successful and timely completion of the project.

Buchung Tamang, Chairman of the municipality, highlighted the significant health benefits that these ambulances would bring to the affected communities. He expressed gratitude for the company's contribution, acknowledging its positive impact on local healthcare services.

The local health posts in this municipalities will be responsible for operating the ambulances. The handover ceremony was attended by Chairpersons of municipality ward- 1 and 2, the General Secretary and members of the Indigenous People Governing Board (IPG), and other local political leaders.

So far, approximately NPR 170 million has been spent on community support initiatives in the project-affected areas of UT-1. NWEDC has implemented various CSP initiatives, including programs focused on education, healthcare, drinking water, road infrastructure, cultural preservation, relief distribution, livelihood support, and income generation. These initiatives align with the company’s institutional social responsibility and Indigenous People Plan (IPP).

The UT-1 project, which is being developed with direct foreign investment (FDI) led by Korean companies, is making steady progress. Construction includes a dam in Haku, Rasuwa-1, and an underground powerhouse in Uttargaya Municipality-1.

Currently, the project has achieved 56% physical progress and is expected to be completed by December 2026. The electricity generated from the project will be used for domestic consumption, making UT-1 the largest hydropower project under construction with FDI in Nepal.