Environmental impact assessment reports for the construction of 11 hydropower projects have been made public within the first six months of the current fiscal year. Some of the reports that have been made public have been approved, while others are in the process of being approved.

The total power generation capacity of the 19 projects that have been made public is 1,530 megawatts. The total cost of the 11 projects is estimated to be more than 349 billion rupees.

The Ministry of Forests and Environment has listed the following projects: the Chuwa Khola Hydropower Project with a capacity of 98.17 MW, the Humla-Karnali I and II projects with a combined electricity generation of 570 MW, the Upper Mugu Karnali Project with a capacity of 306 MW, and the Upper Apsuwakhola Project with a capacity of 35.15 MW.

Similarly, the publicly released reports include the Rolwaling Khola Hydropower Project (capacity in MW not specified), the Karuwa Seti Hydropower Project with a capacity of 32 MW, the Super Inku Khola Hydropower Project with a capacity of 24.41 MW, the Upper Inku Khola Hydropower Project with a capacity of 24.22 MW, the Mardi Khola Hydropower Project with a capacity of 30 MW, and the Bharbung Reservoir-based Project with a capacity of 328 MW.

Chuwa Khola Hydropower Project

In Humla district of Karnali Province, a 98.17 MW semi-reservoir Chuwa Khola Hydropower Project is planned to be constructed. The estimated cost of the project is NPR 1.769 billion.

The project’s capacity has been increased from 70 MW to 98.17 MW. The construction period of the project is expected to be 4 years. Initially, the proponent was Super Mugu Karnali Hydropower Pvt. Ltd., but it has now been changed to Bizbell Pvt. Ltd.

The survey license for the project was issued in January/February 2020. Although the survey license expired in January/February 2024, the environmental impact assessment report, released for public consultation, states that the project is still in the process of obtaining the electricity generation permit.

Humla-Karnali I and II

In Karnali Province, preparations for the construction of two large hydropower projects with a combined capacity of 570 MW have accelerated. The Ministry of Forests and Environment has made public the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) reports for Humla-Karnali I and II Hydropower Projects, promoted by Ruru Hydropower Project Limited, for public consultation.

The total estimated cost of these two projects with a combined capacity of 570 MW is about NPR 130 billion. Humla-Karnali I will have a capacity of 235 MW, with an estimated cost of over NPR 5.727 billion. This project will span Surkegad and Chankheli Rural Municipalities in Humla and Soru Rural Municipality in Mugu.

This river-flow-based project will include a 22-meter-high dam, a tunnel over eight kilometers long, an underground powerhouse, and other structures. Once operational, the project is expected to use a maximum of 130 cubic meters per second of water to generate 1,531 GWh of electricity annually.

The Humla-Karnali II project will have a capacity of 335 MW. Its total estimated cost is about NPR 7.29 billion. The project will span Surkegad and Kharpunath Rural Municipalities in Humla. It will include the construction of a 62-meter-high headworks dam, two diversion tunnels, a headrace tunnel over 12 kilometers long, and a surface powerhouse.

Once operational, the project is expected to generate approximately 609 GWh of electricity during the dry season and 1,184 GWh during the monsoon, contributing a total of 1,795 GWh annually to the national grid. The report also notes that separate budgets have been allocated for land acquisition, environmental impact mitigation, tree plantation, and social responsibility programs required during the construction of both projects.

With an estimated cost of about NPR 130 billion, these projects, once completed, are expected to become among the major privately promoted hydropower projects in Nepal. It is believed that such large-capacity projects, for the first time in Karnali Province, will make a historic leap in energy production.

Upper Mugu Karnali

In Mugu district of Karnali Province, the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report for the proposed Upper Mugu Karnali Hydropower Project, with a capacity of 306 MW, has already been made public.

According to the report prepared by the project promoter, Elevate Energy Pvt. Ltd., the project structures will be located in Mugum Karmarong Rural Municipality and Chhayanath Rara Municipality in Mugu district. The dam will be constructed in wards 5 and 6 of Mugum Karmarong Rural Municipality, and water will be supplied to the powerhouse through an underground waterway.

The project is expected to generate 1,629.25 GWh of electricity annually. Since the river flow will decrease along a stretch of about 12 kilometers from the dam to the powerhouse, several wards will be affected. The dam will be 27 meters high and create a reservoir 2,565.5 meters long, with a maximum water surface level of 2,281.6 meters.

For construction, approximately 37.87 hectares of government land and 15.19 hectares of private land will be required. The project is planned to be completed within 5 years, with a total estimated construction cost of NPR 5.533 billion.

Upper Apsuwakhola Project

In Sankhuwasabha, a 35.15 MW Upper Apsuwakhola Hydropower Project is planned. The project will utilize 9.25 cubic meters per second of water from the Apsuwa River, which flows along the boundary of Silichong Rural Municipality-5 and Makalu Rural Municipality-1, and will be constructed by Ramjanaki Hydropower.

According to the company, a 20-meter-long and 5-meter-high diversion dam will be constructed on the Apsuwa River. On the right bank of the river (Silichong Rural Municipality-5), a pond will be built to store sand and gravel. From there, water will be conveyed through a 2,475-meter-long underground waterway system to a surface powerhouse located 800 meters below Yangden village.

The water discharged from the powerhouse will be returned to the Apsuwa River. The project will also construct a 9-kilometer road from the powerhouse to the dam site. For the road and temporary camps, 2.84 hectares of private land and 9.44 hectares of land within the buffer zone of Makalu Barun National Park will be required.

The estimated cost of the project is NPR 611.4 million, and it is planned to be completed within 4 years. The environmental impact assessment (EIA) report of the project has already been approved.

Rolwaling Khola Hydropower Project

An 88 MW Rolwaling Khola Hydropower Project, with an estimated cost of NPR 1.510 billion, is planned for construction. The environmental impact assessment (EIA) report of the project has been made public for consultation. According to the report, the construction period of the project will be 4 years.

The estimated cost per megawatt of this 88 MW project is NPR 17.16 million. The project will be located in Gaurishankar and Bigu Rural Municipalities of Dolakha. The project proponent is HED Energy Pvt. Ltd.

The project will include the construction of a 6-meter-high and 25-meter-long dam. The proposed project is a river-flow-based hydropower project. It will affect Ward No. 9 of Gaurishankar Rural Municipality and Ward No. 1 of Bigu Rural Municipality.

Bharbung Reservoir-Based Project

In Dolpa district of Karnali Province, a reservoir-based hydropower project with a cost of over NPR 10 billion is planned. The project, with a capacity of 328 MW, will be constructed in Chharka Tangsong and Kaike Rural Municipalities of Dolpa. The estimated cost of the project is NPR 13,319,138,900.

According to the received report, the project will generate electricity through two systems: 325 MW from the reservoir constructed on the Bharbung River, and 3.10 MW using 1.12 cubic meters per second of water from the Tatu Khola via a river-flow-based system.

The project will affect Ward Nos. 4 and 5 of Chharka Tangsong Rural Municipality and Ward No. 1 of Kaike Rural Municipality in Dolpa.

For the Bharbung reservoir system, a 169-meter-high dam, a 766.1-meter-long diversion tunnel, an intake structure, and a 16-kilometer-long headrace tunnel will be constructed in Ward No. 4 of Chharka Tangsong.

Similarly, in Ward No. 1 of Kaike, an underground powerhouse and a tailrace channel will be built, as noted in the environmental impact assessment (EIA) report released for public consultation.

For the Tatu Khola system, a 3-meter-high weir, an intake, a 1,347-meter-long headrace tunnel, and a surface powerhouse will be constructed in Ward No. 4 of Chharka Tangsong, according to the EIA report.

The water diverted from the Tatu Khola will be released into the reservoir constructed on the Bharbung River. Both systems of the project are expected to generate 933,195 GWh of electricity annually. Approximately NPR 3 billion will be spent on land acquisition for the proposed project. Since the project is located in a Himalayan region, construction costs are high, with an estimated cost per megawatt of NPR 28.5 million.

Upper Inku Khola Hydropower Project

In Setang Rural Municipality, Solukhumbu district of Koshi Province, the Upper Inku Khola Hydropower Project with a capacity of 24.22 MW is planned for construction. The total estimated cost of the project is NPR 623,746,950, with an estimated cost per megawatt of NPR 25,753,817.

Super Inku Khola Hydropower Project

In Ward No. 1 of Mahakulung Rural Municipality and Ward No. 1 of Khumbu Pasanglhamu Rural Municipality, Solukhumbu district, the Super Inku Khola Hydropower Project with a capacity of 24.41 MW is planned. The total cost of the project is NPR 494,375,920, with a cost per megawatt of NPR 20,256,900.

The project will require 18.70 hectares of land in the buffer zone of Makalu Barun National Park. The total annual energy generation capacity of the project is 143.04 GWh. The main structures of the project include a weir, intake, under-sluice, surge shaft, underground powerhouse, as well as an 11-kilometer-long access road with a width of 4.5 meters and a 35-meter bridge.

Karuwa Seti Hydropower Project

In Machhapuchchhre Rural Municipality, Kaski district, the Karuwa Seti Hydropower Project with a capacity of 32 MW is planned. The total estimated cost of the project is NPR 668.2 million.

The main structures of the project include a dam, intake, gravel trap, approach canal, sand-trapping pond, headrace culvert, headrace tunnel, surge shaft, penstock pipe, powerhouse, and tailrace.

Mardi Khola Hydropower Project

In Lamjung district of Gandaki Province, a 30 MW Mardi Khola Hydropower Project is planned. The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report of the project has been made public for consultation.

The estimated cost of the project is NPR 390.97 million. The project will span Wards 4 and 5 of Marsyangdi Rural Municipality and Nasong Rural Municipality in Manang.

A total of 10.84 hectares of land will be required for the construction of various structures of the proposed hydropower project, including 1.85 hectares of permanently owned private land, 0.30 hectares of temporarily used land, and 8.69 hectares from the Annapurna Conservation Area.

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