The work of Chukeni hydropower project under construction in Patarasi Rural Municipality-1 Chukenikhola is progressing rapidly. While 60 percent of the work has been completed, only 40 percent work is left to be completed, according to project officials.

Plans are being made to turn on the electricity within mid-April 2023. So far, the dam side work of the power house has been completed. The power house construction and pipeline expansion work has also reached the final stage. Currently, only the construction work of the structure including the powerhouse is left.

Gor Bahadur Budha, Chairman of Chukeni Electricity Cooperative, said that the plan is to provide electricity within April 2023. He said, “This is a pride project in the district. The project is estimated to cost around Rs 420 millions.”

In the project, the municipality has included all households in share investment. The municipality has invested Rs 20 million in the electricity project of 998 kilowatts to be produced from Chukeni River. Bishnu Prasad Dhital, the chief administrative officer of the rural municipality, said that shares were divested to 3,320 households.

According to him, the workers' shares will also be invested in the power project. 1,001 locals have personally invested nearly nine million rupees in shares. The project is expected to solve the problem of electricity supply in Jumla and bring light to the district itself. The municipality has allocated Rs 10 million for additional investment this year as well.

Chandra Bahadur Magar, sub-engineer of Mega Hydro Engineering, said that the work of burying the pole and carrying the wire has also been completed. According to him, generators, turbine sets, panel boards, overhead cranes and other machines have arrived for the powerhouse.