Kathmandu, October 31
The 25-MW Upper Madi Hydropower Project will start generating power on commercial basis within the month of Mangsir (one-and-a-half months, at most, from now).
Project coordinator Rajkumar Baral said: Ninety-nine per cent of the project construction work is over. By the last week of Kartik (about a fortnight from now), we will generate power as part of dry run. From the month of Mangsir, we will start power generation on regular basis.
According to Baral, they have not only dug out a 4,200-metre-long tunnel but have also done concrete lining on 90 per cent of the structure.
The Department of Forests and Land Conservation has given us the go-ahead for clearing part of the forest that lies below towers (transmission towers), Baral said, adding that they will do the clearing pretty soon.
The project based in Bahundanda, Kaski district, has also constructed the transmission line.
Baral put the project development cost, initially estimated at Rs 5.28 billion, at eight billion rupees. Last year’s earthquakes, the Indian blockade and landslides that erupted while digging the tunnel caused the cost to escalate.
Project’s executive chairman Bijaya Malla has 20 per cent investment in the project, whereas China’s Three Gorges Corporation has 80 per cent investment.
Project construction work had begun about four years ago and the initial aim was to complete the works within 30 months. Last year’s earthquakes, the Indian blockade and landslides that erupted while digging the tunnel caused the cost to escalate.
Project construction work had begun about four years ago and the initial aim was to complete the works within 30 months.
