Floods cause damage to 16 hydropower projects

Kathmandu, September 29 — Following continuous rainfall, floods and landslides have caused damage to 16 hydropower projects across various regions. According to the Independent Power Producers' Association Nepal (IPPAN), the floods have affected the powerhouses, transmission lines, and other structures of these projects.

IPPAN stated that it is currently gathering details about the extent of the damage and has estimated that further damage may have occurred. The Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Limited, an auxiliary company of the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), reported damage at the dam site and the sand trap of the Upper Tamakoshi project. The control room of the project was also damaged, leading to four individuals, including security personnel and workers, going missing, as confirmed by CEO Mohan Gautam.

To operate the project, assistance is being sought from the Tamakoshi V project. The total capacity of this project is 456 megawatts, and electricity generation has been halted, necessitating the import of electricity. Due to the damage to the power generation center caused by the floods and landslides, there have also been issues with the electricity supply.

The Nepal Electricity Authority stated that alternative arrangements have been made to provide electricity in areas that were cut off, while repairs are ongoing in some locations. According to the NEA, there has been a disruption in the supply of 980 megawatt-hours of electricity across the country due to the floods and landslides.

According to IPPAN, the power house of the Bagmati small hydropower project, promoted by Mandu Hydropower, has been completely submerged. Other projects, such as Khani Khola Hydropower and Mandu Hydropower, have also reported halts in electricity production due to flooding, which was communicated to the Nepal Stock Exchange.

The Lower Hewakhola Hydropower project, promoted by Mountain Hydro Nepal, with a capacity of 22.1 megawatts, has also ceased electricity generation due to flooding. This project was affected by flooding last year as well. Currently, electricity production from this project has stopped.

The Hewakhola Hydropower project, promoted by Panchthar Power, with a capacity of 14.9 megawatts, has also halted its electricity generation. After being repaired following last year's flooding, the project has once again been damaged.

The dam site of the Solu Dudhkoshi Hydropower project, promoted by Sahas Urja, has suffered damage, leading to a halt in electricity generation. The dam and other structures of the Mai Khola Cascade Hydropower project, promoted by Sagarmatha Hydropower Company, have also been damaged.

According to IPPAN, the dam and transmission lines of the Mai Khola Hydropower project, promoted by Sagarmatha Hydropower Company with a capacity of 9.6 megawatts, have been affected. The Feme Khola Hydropower project in Siurikhola has also experienced halts in electricity production due to flooding.

Overall, the Supernyadi Hydropower project, with a total capacity of 40 megawatts, has suffered damage to its access road and security wall due to flooding. The Ilep Khola Tatopani Hydropower project has also been affected, while the camp house and access road of the Upper Trishuli-1 project, which has a Korean investment of 216 megawatts, have sustained damage, with three containers of construction materials swept away.

The crusher of the Hewakhola Hydropower project has been washed away, along with damage to the access road. Furthermore, the flood has caused transmission line towers to collapse, and materials intended for installation at the powerhouse have been lost. The access road of the Sabakhola B Hydropower project has been obstructed by landslides, affecting the powerhouse and the dam.

According to IPPAN, the access road of the Sabakhola C Hydropower project has been damaged, and the road infrastructure of the Landruk Modi Hydropower project has been washed away. The flood has swept away construction equipment from the Super Trishuli Hydropower project, which is currently under construction with a total capacity of 100 megawatts. Two excavators and three dump trucks have been lost, along with a washed-away Bailey bridge and a submerged powerhouse that was under construction.

The halt in electricity production from the affected projects has placed pressure on the authority's system. As a result, the NEA had to import an additional 300 megawatts of electricity from India just on Saturday.