The headrace tunnel of the under-construction Upper Kabeli Hydropower Project in Taplejung has achieved a breakthrough. The 1,772-meter tunnel stretches from the intake to the audit, covering areas of Sirijanga and Sidingwa rural municipalities along the Kabeli River. With this progress, the project has advanced significantly closer to completion.

Project manager Prakash Dhungana said the tunnel, extending from the intake to Happa Khola, was completed within the expected time frame. After the breakthrough, project director Shyam Mainali, main promoter Dr Madan Upreti, and workers involved in the tunnel construction celebrated the achievement.

The headworks of the 28.1 megawatt project will be located in Tellok of Sirijanga Rural Municipality, while the powerhouse will be in Sinam. A total of 5 kilometers of tunnel will be constructed from Khoyahang to Sinam for the project.

Peace Energy Company Pvt Ltd is the main promoter. The company is a Nepali subsidiary of Tesla Hydro USA, based in America. The core technical areas of the project include Sinam, Ambeghudin, and Tellok of Sirijanga, and Limbudin and Mehele of Sidingwa.

The total estimated cost of the project is Rs 5.64 billion. Of this, 75 percent will be financed through loans from Nepali banks, while 25 percent will come from the promoters’ equity. Machhapuchchhre Bank is leading the consortium of banks providing the loan. Other financing partners include Hydroelectricity Investment and Development Company Limited (HIDCL), Rastriya Banijya Bank, and Laxmi Sunrise Bank.

By Khagendra Adhikari