The United Mewakhola Hydropower Project, which began construction four and a half years ago in Taplejung, has now reached its final phase.

The 50-megawatt project, being developed by United Mewakhola Hydropower Limited, is located on the Mewakhola River, which flows along the border of Meringden and Mikwakhola rural municipalities.

According to the project’s Public Relations Officer, Asalal Kedem (Ashish), around 99 per cent of construction has been completed. The remaining tasks in the tunnel and powerhouse are progressing rapidly, and the project aims to begin test production by mid-October.

Resident Engineer Om Prakash Chaudhary informed that only final cleaning and minor work remain in the 4,800-metre-long main tunnel. Work is also ongoing on the construction of gates along the audit tunnel that connects to the main tunnel.

Likewise, the installation of the main turbines at the powerhouse is in its final stage. Geologist Rajendra Bhatt expressed confidence that electricity production will begin on schedule in mid-October, as most of the infrastructure and construction works have already been completed.

He remarked that the tunnel has been built in one of the strongest geological zones identified so far, making the United Mewakhola one of the most durable and robust hydropower projects in the country.

Kedem confirmed that construction activities are continuing with the goal of starting electricity generation by October. Rapid progress is being made on tunnel cleaning, gate installation in the audit tunnel, penstock pipe installation, and turbine setup at the powerhouse.

Once these are completed, the power generated will be connected to the national grid via a 132 kV transmission line already completed up to the Nepal Electricity Authority's substation in Dhungesanghu of Mewakhola-1.

The distance from the project’s powerhouse in Mate, Meringden-3 to the Dhungesanghu substation is eight kilometres. A total of 28 transmission towers have been erected to complete the connection.

The total cost of the project stands at Rs. 9 billion. The intake (dam) is located in Thuki of Meringden-5 and Puchhar Nawa area of Libang in Mikwakhola-3.

According to Kedem, a total of Rs. 52.5 million has been spent under the project’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) obligations. Of this, Rs. 13.8 million each was allocated to the affected areas in Meringden-3 Khamlung, Ward-4 Lingtap, and Ward-5 Thuki.

Likewise, Rs. 2 million was spent in Khokling of Mikwakhola-1, Rs. 3 million in Libang of Ward-3, Rs. 2 million in Dhungesanghu of Mewakhola-1, and Rs. 2 million in Change of Aathrai Tribeni-5 under the CSR programme.

By Chandra Pandak