Storage will spread across 17-km in Dudhkoshi, 8-km in Rawa Khola and 5.5-km in Thotne Khola

As many as 1,150 households will be affected by the 635MW Dudhkoshi Storage Hydroelectric Project in Okhaldhunga and Khotang districts.

The hydro power project is set to be constructed on the border area of Khotang’s Rawabesi Rural Municipality and Okhaldhunga’s Chisankhugadi Rural Municipality.

A total of 162 houses will be fully affected while 988 houses will be partially affected.

Environmental Impact Assessment report shows that the number of households that will be affected by the hydro project is comparatively low.

Nepal Electricity Authority has been collecting necessary suggestions from political parties, local levels, affected municipalities/rural municipalities, Forest Users’ Group, various organisations and locals in relation to the EIA report.

Dudhkoshi Storage Hydroelectric Project Chief Basantdhowj Shrestha said Nepal Electricity Authority was collecting suggestion from stakeholders concerned while work on the detailed project report was under way.

The project that will spread over 19.8 square kilometres area will affect Khotang’s Rawabesi Rural Municiplaity-6, Halesi Tuwachung Municipality-5, Aiselukharka Rural Municipality-3, Okhladhunga’s Chisankhugadi Rural Municiplaity-5, Solukhumbhu’s Dudhkausika Rural Municipality-2 and Nechaslayan Rural Municipality-1.

According to the project, storage will spread across 17 kilometres in Dudhkoshi, eight kilometres in Rawa Khola and 5.5 kilometres in Thotne Khola in the course of dam construction.

A target has been set to generate 600 megawatt power from the main power house and 35 MW from dam 2. The work on detailed project report of the project is in the final stage.

A joint venture between Italy and Japan has been carrying out Detailed Project Report of the hydroelectric project. The company has been undertaking works on comprehensive engineering designing, social and environmental impact and its possibility.

A 200-metre tall dam will be built at Lamidanda’s Rabhuwabazaar. The water from the dam will then be dropped to Dhitung through 13.30 kilometres long headrace to generate power. The work on detailed project report will be completed within December this year.

Out of ten excellent storage type hydroelectric projects identified by JICA in 2014, Dudhkoshi Storage Hydroelectric Project has the capacity to generate 3,443 gigawatt power in a year. Estimated to cost Rs 220 billion along with Value Added Tax, Tunnel Boring Machine will be used to dig the tunnel of the project.