Photo: TRN Rahughat Hydropower Project and its surrounding area in Myagdi District, Nepal.
By A Staff Reporter, Kathmandu, Sept. 26: The 40 MW Rahughat Hydropower Project, constructed by Raghuganga Hydropower Limited, a subsidiary of the Nepal Electricity Authority, in Myagdi district, has been connected to the national grid.
The project, located in Raghuganga Rural Municipality, started electricity generation through its two 20 MW units and was successfully integrated into the national transmission system on Wednesday.
The electricity generated by the project has been evacuated to the national grid through the 220 kV Kaligandaki Corridor transmission line, according to a press statement of NEA.
As per the Power Purchase Agreement signed between the project and the Nepal Electricity Authority, test generation will now be declared. After successfully completing the 15-day test generation period, the project will begin commercial electricity generation.
Dirghayu Kumar Shrestha, managing director of NEA and chairman of the board of directors of Raghuganga Hydropower Limited, said the project was completed through continuous efforts despite challenges including difficult and complex geographical conditions, the COVID-19 pandemic and floods.
He said the project would make a significant contribution to managing electricity demand during the dry season as it can operate at full capacity for four hours daily during the evening peak-demand period.
The project is expected to generate 247.9 million units of electricity annually. Around 34 per cent of its total annual energy output will be generated during the dry season.
The estimated project cost, excluding interest during the construction period, is Rs. 9.17 billion. The project was financed through investments from the government and the Nepal Electricity Authority, along with concessional loans obtained under a line of credit from the EXIM Bank of India.
A contract for the civil and hydromechanical works under the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) model was signed with Jaiprakash Associates Limited of India on November 21, 2017. The contract came into effect on May 24, 2018.
For the electromechanical works, a contract was signed with Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited of India on October 15, 2019, and came into effect on December 4, 2019. The Water and Power Consultancy Services (WAPCOS) Limited of India supervised the construction of the project.
The Rahughat Hydropower Project was initially started by the Nepal Electricity Authority itself with an installed capacity of 32 MW. However, the contract was terminated after the contractor’s poor performance was noticed during construction.
The authority subsequently decided to increase the project’s capacity to 40 MW and construct it under a company model through its subsidiary. The construction was then resumed under new contracts.
The Rising Nepal
