The 100 MW Super Trishuli Hydropower Project under construction in Gandaki Rural Municipality-1, Gorkha, has achieved only 20 percent work progress. Blue Energy Pvt Ltd, which started the construction so as to complete it within four years, has said that only 20 percent of work progress has been achieved after a year and a half.

According to Dibya Raj Pant, Geo Technical Head and Senior Engineering Geologist of Super Trishuli Hydropower Project, the progress has not met targets due to the recent floods in Trishuli. A 25 percent progress should have been achieved so far. However, Pant said that the project work will be completed within three years.

Currently, work is underway to dry up water from the Trishuli River to construct the dam. Pant said that the dam construction will begin once the water is drained. Previously, the work of digging the foundation for the hydropower project had been completed, and a bailey bridge had been constructed over the Trishuli River, connecting Butar of Gandaki Municipality, Gorkha, and Chumlingtar of Ichhakamana Municipality, Chitwan.

Super Trishuli Hydropower Project, a run-of-river project without the construction of tunnels, will reportedly be the first such hydropower project in Nepal. The plan is to build a 24.5 meters high dam. Pant said that the powerhouse will be built at the bottom of the dam. Three units of 33.3 MW each will be constructed.

Pant said, “The water level of the hydropower runs off up to three and a half kilometers. Five gates of 14 by 12 meters are also being built to halt the water level. When the water comes, the gates will open automatically. We have placed a machine in Benighat to provide information in case of a major flood.” He said that it would take one and a half hours for water to reach the under-construction sites located in Ichchakamana Rural Municipality-3 and Gandaki Rural Municipality-1 from Benighat.

Pant said that a dam with a capacity of 9,800 cusecs per second will be constructed in Trishuli. So far, it has been measured up to 5,000 cusecs per second in Trisuli. Currently, there is 600 cusecs of water per second in Trishuli. The project is set to begin by purchasing 40 ropanis of private individuals and 2200 hectares of government land.

This project, which is going to be constructed with an investment of about Rs 16 billion, will be handed over to the government after 35 years. The electricity generated will be connected to the central transmission line. Currently, it has been agreed to connect to the transmission line of Markichowk in Khaireni, Tanahun. After the project is completed, the local people will be able to get multi-faceted benefits.

The construction work of this project, which was started one and a half years ago, conducted a field study from 2010 to 2018. After receiving the environmental impact assessment permission, the company has started construction with the financial support from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), an organization of the World Bank Group. Pant said that the work proceeded after the contract was signed on March 16, 2023 on the environmental impact assessment, grid connection agreement, and investment loan.

The company obtained the survey license in 2009. Before the earthquake in 2015, the work was given to the Chinese company by issuing a tender. However, the Chinese company could not complete the work due to Covid-19 pandemic. Subsequently, the SNC-Lavalin, an international company, took over and continued the study of the project.

Tractebel Engineering Company, an Indian company, is currently engaged in the construction work. Pant said that fish ladders will be installed at one of five dams in order not to obstruct the movement of fish.

Flood causes damage worth Rs 150 million

According to Geo-Technical Head Pant, the recent flood caused damage of around Rs 150 million in the Super Trishuli hydropower project, including material and construction materials. According to him, the recent flood swept away three trucks, two excavators, ballast and machines for crushing sand. Similarly, there has been damage to the physical structures prepared for hydropower project construction, he added.