The state-owned Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has refuted reports that embankment of the Kulekhani reservoir is in danger of collapsing in near future.
Talking to Nepalnews on Wednesday, deputy general manager of the NEA, Bindu Prakash Joshi, said there was no such danger at the reservoir right now. “Works of repair and maintenance have been carried out frequently,” he said.
Nepal Samacharpatra daily reported on Wednesday that the reservoir has been facing two major critical problems – danger of collapse of the embankment and drying up of the water.
“Small cracks have appeared at several places in the embankment of the reservoir and stones fell off recently, but it has not put the plant in danger,” Joshi said.
Reports say stones have fallen off from the southern walls recently. A number of cracks have also appeared in the road leading to the reservoir. Officials at the NEA and the Japanese embassy said they had not received any report of cracks in the embankment that can pose danger to the dam.
The reservoir and Kulekhani hydropower plant had been constructed 23 years ago with the Japanese assistance.
Project manager of the Kulekhani hydropower plant, Jujikaji Ranjit, admitted that the level of water in the reservoir had decreased sharply. “The present level of water is at 1497.48 m. Electricity can be generated while the water level remains above 1480 m,” he said. The total capacity of the reservoir is 1530.50 m.
A major repair of the reservoir was carried out in 1994.
Ranjit said that hydropower plants usually do not require any major repair for the first 50 years, adding, “We are sure this plant would last more than that.”
Kulekhani is the country’s only plant that generates power based on reservoir. All other projects are run-off-the-river type. Officials say the plant is operated only when the demand of electricity in the country cannot be met by other plants.
This year the Kulekhani reservoir was brought into use from as early as September when water in other rivers began to dry up. The recent brief showers increased the water level by about 10 cm only, according to the NEA.