KATHMANDU: The construction of the 216 MW Upper Trishuli-1 Hydropower Project has started. The project is being constructed in Rasuwa with foreign direct investment. The construction of the project started as soon as the work of the ‘ventilation tunnel’ used to go to the underground power house started on Tuesday. The first blast was made on Tuesday for the construction of a 246-meter ventilation tunnel.

The construction of the main entrance tunnel, cable tunnel, main tunnel and other structures will start as soon as the monsoon ends. The establishment of a crusher plant and a batching plant at the project site, testing of construction materials, construction of a Bailey bridge on the Trishuli River for access road, felling of trees for construction of the dam and other structures, construction of access road towards search tank are taking place in full swing. Currently, there are 200 workers working for the project.

Doosan, a Korean company, has won the contract for engineering, procurement and construction model for the construction of the project. Upper Trishuli-1 is the largest hydropower project to be constructed with foreign direct investment for domestic consumption.

The total estimated cost of the project is US dollar 647.3 million (including construction period interest). Nine international financial institutions have agreed to invest US 453.2 million. The remaining amount has been raised from equity.

The project will generate 1.53 billion units of energy annually. Out of the total annual energy generated by the project, 38.75 percent will be generated in winter and 61.25 percent in monsoon. The generated energy will flow to the national transmission system by connecting it to the Trishuli-3B hub substation which is being constructed by the Nepal Electricity Authority.

The project is considered to be very attractive for the power system of the country as it is close to the Kathmandu Load Center and will get 104 MW of electricity even in winter when there is high demand for electricity. The project will generate 104 MW of electricity throughout the year. The construction of the project is targeted to be completed by December, 2026.