Kathmandu: The 140 MW Tanahu Hydropower Project, one of the biggest reservoir-type projects in the country, has paid Rs 1.30 billion in land compensation.

The project has acquired more than 1,400 ropanies of land for the construction of its power plant to be built in Jhaputar of Rishing Rural Municipality-1 of Tanahu district. According to the project chief Achyut Ghimire, they have completed 25 percent of the physical work so far.

According to Ghimire, they have provided Rs 1.30 billion as land compensation to construct an access road, camp and reservoir area. The project has paid Rs 400 million to acquire 150 ropanies of land necessary for camp and access road to the power house.

A total of Rs 80 million has been paid to acquire 50 ropanies of land for the access road to the dam site and Rs 820 million for 1,230 ropanies of land for the water storage reservoir. The project has already constructed a camp, a substation, access roads and a bridge across the Seti River at the project site.

Tanahu Hydropower Project is expected to generate 587.7 GWh in the first 10 years of operation. The project can generate energy for six hours daily during the dry season.

The US $ 550-million project is being built with credit extended by the Asian Development Bank ($ 150 million), Japan International Cooperation Agency ($ 184 million), European Investment Bank ($ 85 million) and investment amounting to $ 87 million from Nepal Electricity Authority and the government.