The construction of the 14-MW hydropower project at Ghaar in Ward No. 6 of Annapurna Rural Municipality in Myagdi district has been completed.

According to the Ghaar Khola Hydropower Project, which was constructed by Myagdi Hydropower Pvt. Ltd., all the physical work of the hydropower has been completed and the project was now ready for power generation.

To test the project’s power production capacity, the project officials are currently inspecting the internal machinery, such as generators, turbines and transformers.

“We will start testing the hydropower within a fortnight,” Joseph Bajracharya, an engineer of Myagdi Hydropower Pvt. Ltd. Said.

“Once the transmission line related work is completed, we will give a notice and start production testing. The geography has made the installation of transmission lines difficult,” said Bajracharya.

Similarly, the project’s completion was delayed by two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the project, once the transmission lines are installed and connected to the national grid, they will be providing electricity for free during the two weeks of the testing phase.

An 11-metre-high dam has been constructed at Kurilabagar, the border of Ward Nos. 5 and 6 of Annapurna, and a hill was cut in Gojekholsi area for the construction of the powerhouse.

A 1,220-metre-long penstock pipe has been installed from the outlet in Amilakafal area to the powerhouse. Similarly, the head, the height difference between where the water enters into the hydro system and where it leaves it, of the hydropower is 480-metres.

The produced electricity will be sent to the national grid through the Dana-based 220-kV-capacity substation via Pokharebagar.

“The installation of a double-circuit 33-kV transmission line along the eight-kilometre section from Pokharebagar is in the final stage,” said Bajracharya.

With the construction cost of the project estimated to be over Rs. 2 billion, NIC Asia, Kumari and Prime Commercial Banks have invested in the project under the leadership of the NMB Bank. Similarly, locals of Rupandehi, under the leadership of Nagarik Urja Butwal Ltd.