Urja Khabar
Kathmandu; The construction of the 111 MW Rasuwagadhi Hydropower Project, led by Rasuwagadhi Hydropower Company Limited, has been successfully completed, and the entire structure has undergone a successful dry test. Under Chilime Hydro Power Company Limited, the Rasuwagadhi Project is being advanced, although it lags behind the Sanjen and Middle Bhotekoshi projects.
Within the Chilime Company's umbrella, four subsidiary companies have constructed the Sanjen (42.5 MW) and Middle Bhotekoshi (102 MW) projects, all reaching their final construction stages. The Upper Sanjen project (14.8 MW) has been commercially operational since October 8, 2023.
Despite starting work later than all four projects, Chhabi Gahre, the Chief Executive Officer of the company, highlighted the successful testing of civil, electrical, and hydro-mechanical equipment at the Rasuwagadhi site. He stated, 'We have completed testing of all structures. With only the finishing touches remaining, work is underway around the clock, 24 hours a day. Our goal is to complete the remaining work by mid-April 2024.
Satyaram Jyakhwa, the project's chief, reported no issues during the testing of civil, electrical, and hydro-mechanical components. He mentioned that the headrace tunnel, situated at 4184.5 meters, has completed its water filling test. The generated electricity will be connected to the 220 kV Chilime Hub Substation and then transmitted to the Trishuli-3 'B' Hub to feed into the national grid.
Tharka Bahadur Thapa, Chief of the '220 kV Transmission Line Extensive Project,' indicated that as both substations and transmission lines are nearing completion, they expect to finish by the end of March. He mentioned, 'There are still some sections of the transmission lines that need to be constructed on the Rasuwagadhi side. Once this work is completed, our lines will be ready.
Construction of Rasuwagadhi's Lot-1 (Civil and Hydro-Mechanical) commenced with China International Water and Electric Corporation (CWE) on January 5, 2014. Similarly, an agreement with the Indian company Voith Hydro was reached for the construction of Lot-2 (Electro-Mechanical) on July 31, 2014.
Projects in all sectors face challenges due to natural disasters like floods, landslides, earthquakes, and Indian blockades. The ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted project timelines, delaying construction by a year. Even after lockdowns were lifted, border closures and equipment procurement delays further affected construction.
The construction site faced challenges where work couldn't proceed during heavy rainfall or monsoon seasons for about six months. Continuous disruptions led to delays, prompting the need for new projects. For instance, Lot-3, involving transmission line construction, had a contract with Mudbhari and Joshi Construction since July 17, 2017. However, after about four years, only about 20% of the work was completed. Subsequently, an agreement with MS Royal Construction Company was made on October 31, 2022, to begin work.
The estimated cost for the construction project, supported by the Employee Provident Fund's financial assistance and the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) for electricity procurement, was initially estimated at NPR 13.68 billion. Subsequently, during the approval phase by the company's management committee, an allocation of NPR 15.20 billion was approved. The construction was expected to be completed within this budget. Upon completion, Rasuwagadhi would generate electricity at a cost of NPR 137 million per MW.
