Feasibility study of six hydel projects completed

April 18, 2000
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Kathmandu, Apr. 18: Feasibility studies including detailed design have been completed for six hydropower projects and l0 years after the restoration of democracy construction work on the projects is in the final stage, according to the Ministry of Water Resources.

The hydropower projects under construction during the last l0 years are the 144 megawatt (MW) capacity Kaligandaki, 12 MW capacity Modi Khola, 6.2 MW capacity Puwakhola, 20 MW capacity Chilime, 60 MW capacity Khimti and 36 MW capacity Bhotekoshi.

Khimti and Bhotekoshi are the first two power projects under construction by the private sector.

After completion of hydropower projects under construction, generation of power will increase from 320 MW to 600 MW.

Looking back at the history of hydropower in Nepal, power has been generated from only nine projects during the 90 years till 2047 Bikram year. The first project to generate power was the 500 KW Pharping project.

Then the 900 KW capacity Sundarijal, 2,400 KW Panauti, 10 MW Sunkoshi 21 MW Trishuli and 14 MW Devighat hydropower projects were implemented with bilateral cooperation.

Cooperation from more than one country and international financial institutions played an important role in the construction of the 60 MW Kulekhani first, 32 MW Kulekhani second and 69 MW mid-Marsyangdi projects.

The 12 MW Jhimruk hydropower project was implemented with the cooperation of the Norwegian government.

Minister for Water Resources Khum Bahadur Khadka told RSS that the main factors accelerating the harnessing of water resources during the 10 years since the restoration of democracy were the Water Resources Act and the Electricity Act.

He said, “these two acts have attracted not only domestic but also foreign investors in harnessing the water resources of the country.”

Mr khadka noted that the acts and regulations concerning water resources should be progressively amended on the basis of the experience gained.

At present, three hydropower projects, feasibility of which had already been completed, are in the final stage of implementation, it is learnt from the Ministry of Water Resources. These are the 72 MW mid-Marsyangdi, 32 MW Chilime and 48 MW Kulekhani third.

Besides, feasibility studies on the 300 MW Upper Karnali, 300 MW Dudhkoshi, 101 MW Tamor, 35 MW Kabeli, 34 MW Likhu, 24 MW Raughat and 16 MW Budhiganga projects have already been completed.

Implementation of many hydropower projects with high dams and reservoirs have also been found to be technically and financially viable in Nepal.

Feasibility studies for the 10,800 MW Karnali Chisapani, 6,000 MW Pancheswari, 3000 MW Saptakoshi, 600 MW Budhigandaki, 750 MW West Seti, 660 MW Kaligandaki, 402 MW Arun Third, 335 MW Upper Arun, 308 MW Lower Arun and 90 MW Kankai have been completed. These are now awaiting implementation.

Countries such as Japan, Germany and Korea have expressed willingness to extend cooperation for the implementation of Kulekhani third, mid-Marsyangdi and Chameliya.

Chilime hydropower project is under construction with the participation of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) with domestic capital alone.

Snowy mountain, a private company in Australia, has taken over responsibility for the implementation of the 750 MW capacity western Seti project.

The 60 MW Khimti, 36 MW Bhotekoshi, 20 MW Chilime and 5 MW Indrawati projects under implementation by the private sector are seen to be somewhat costlier than those implemented by NEA, except for Chilime.

Former deputy prime minister Shailaja Acharya, who also assumed the portfolio of water resources, emphasised the need for the private and governmental sectors to play complementary roles to make financial  resources available.

In her view, domestic resources should be mobilised, bilateral and multilateral cooperation sought and local bodies also involved in the feasibility study and implementation of small and medium size power projects.

Former deputy prime minister Acharya said, “all the responsible political parties should ponder harnessing water resources. A new definition of development profiles should be worked out.”

CPN-UML leader Jhalanath Khanal emphasised the need for all the political parties, experts and technical personnel to sit together, hold discussions and formulate national policy and short-term and long-term programmes and implement these, adding that development of water resources is a national issue.

Member of the National Planning Commission (NPC) Dr Jagadish Chandra Pokharel says, “as there is potential for generation of abundant hydropower for export, Nepal should study the energy requirements of India and harness the water resources with firm commitment.”

According to Water Resources Minister Khadka, Nepal’s relations  with India have a direct impact on the development of water resources.  If energy is to be sold to India, the investors should also be taken into confidence, he adds.

He also pointed out the need to formulate an integrated industrial and agricultural development policy to augment the consumption of power in the country.

“Economic resources, institutional efficiency, technology, skill and experience required for the generation of hydropower are lacking in Nepal” Mr khadka said and added that effort had been made to attract the domestic and foreign private sector  to hydropower generation in Nepal.

Mr Khadka further said that the main national concern today is how to generate power and export the power generated to the foreign market.