Arun III

Arun III is an under-construction run-of-the river type hydro-electric project constructed by SJVN Arun III Power Development Company Private Limited (A wholly owned subsidiary of SJVN Ltd) in Nepal at the Arun River. In this project, 900 megawatts of electricity was expected to be produced.[1]

The project was formed by Nepal Government in 1992. However, the NGOs, environment protectors and individuals worried against rampant privatization in the culture and natural beauty of the Arun valley expressed numerous concerns against it. Besides, the criticism of the project included fear of increase of already high electricity tariffs and if the size of the project was appropriate for a country of Nepal's size. There was also a debate for the road to the project area concerning deforestation and habitat fragmentation. Finally in 1995, the World Bank decided to withdraw their support, effectively cancelling the project.

The Project again resurfaced and Project Development Agreement (PDA) was signed in November 2014, which brought into limelight the 21.9% free power to Nepal for 25 years, effectively silencing the Organisations and individuals working hard to protect the Arun valley. The surplus power from the project will be exported to India from Dhalkebar in Nepal to Muzaffarpur in Bihar. In 2017 the cabinet of india approved the project once the resistance for the project were weakened, and so the project is being pushed to be inaugurated in October, despite numerous objections to it,[2] by the Indian prime minister.

References

  1. ↑ "Arun-3 Hydro Electricity Project". Retrieved 6 June 2018. Nepal Investment Board
  2. ↑ http://kathmandupost.ekantipur.com/news/2017-10-03/indian-pm-modi-likely-to-visit-nepal-this-month.html
  • Ram S. Mahat, The Loss of Arun III, .

http://kathmandupost.ekantipur.com/news/2017-10-03/indian-pm-modi-likely-to-visit-nepal-this-month.html

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