Upper Tamakoshi Hydroelectric Project

Upper Tamakoshi Hydroelectric Project
Location of Upper Tamakoshi Hydroelectric Project in Nepal
Country Nepal
Location Gaurishankar Conservation Area, Dolakha District
Coordinates 27°55′30″N 86°12′47″E / 27.925°N 86.213°E / 27.925; 86.213Coordinates: 27°55′30″N 86°12′47″E / 27.925°N 86.213°E / 27.925; 86.213
Purpose Hydroelectricity
Status Under construction
Construction began 2011
Opening date 2019
Owner(s) Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Limited
Dam and spillways
Type of dam Run-of-river
Impounds Tamakoshi River
Height 22 m
Length 60 m
Coordinates 27°51′29″N 86°12′47″E / 27.858°N 86.213°E / 27.858; 86.213
Type Underground 142 m long hall
Hydraulic head 822 m
Turbines 6×Pelton wheels
Installed capacity 456 MW @ maximum flow 66m3/s
Annual generation 2,281 GWh
Website
tamakoshihydro.org.np

The Upper Tamakoshi Hydroelectric Project is a 456 MW peaking run-of-the-river hydroelectric project in Nepal.[1] It the largest hydroelectric project in Nepal, and is slated for completion in 2018.[2][3] It is sited on the Tamakoshi River (also spelled Tamba Koshi), a tributary of the Sun Kosi river (also spelled Sunkoshi), near the Nepal–Tibet border.

The Upper Tamakoshi Hydroelectric Project is a Nepal national priority project. When it is completed, it is projected be the largest hydroelectric plant in Nepal, with a power output equivalent to two-thirds of Nepal's current power generation.[2][4] The Project is entirely financed from domestic financial institutions and companies.

Financing and organization

Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has established an autonomous company named Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Limited (UTKHPL) in March 2007 (2063/11/25 B.S.) as an executing agency for the implementation of the Project. There are six full-time and two invitee members in the Board of Directors (BoD) at present. Out of six full-time members, four members from NEA, one from Employees Provident Fund (EPF) and one from Nepal Telecom (NTC) are representing in the BoD. Similarly, representatives of Citizen Investment Trust (CIT) and Rastriya Beema Sansthan (RBS) are also in the BoD as invitee members.[5]

The majority share (51%) of the Company is held by four public entities, namely, Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), Nepal Telecom (NTC), Citizen Investment Trust (CIT) and Rastriya Beema Sansthan (RBS). NEA has 41% stake, NTC has 6% and CIT & RBS each has 2% stake in the Company. Similarly, general public and residents of Dolakha District will have 15% and 10% share respectively. The remaining 24% share will be taken over by contributors in Employees Provident Fund (EPF), NEA & Companys staffs and staffs of financial institutions providing loans.[5]

Construction

Upper Tamakoshi Access Tunnel

Construction began in February 2011. Sinohydro is managing construction.[6] The Nepalese Army was mobilized to provide security to the site in 2012, after it was reportedly threatened by vandalism and threats to construction staff and foreign workers.[7] Work was disrupted by the April 2015 Nepal earthquake, after which over 200 Chinese workers were evacuated.[2][8] Work was disrupted throughout the construction project by labor strikes.[9][10] The earthquake also caused damage to roads and bridges and buried the troop barracks at the site.[11]

In May, 2018, it was reported that the planned July completion date could be jeopardized by late assembly of the turbomachinery that had been delivered to the site.[12] Later in May, the country's finance minister said that the project was expected to contribute to robust national economic growth in 2018.[13]

Infrastructure

Infrastructure for the plant includes a 142 m long, 25 m high underground powerhouse hall near Gongar Khola, with six Pelton wheels; a 22 m high × 60 m wide dam; a 360 m high surge shaft; and a total of 16 km of headrace and tailrace tunnels.[2][4] The gross head will be 822 m.[2]

References

  1. ↑ "Salient Features". utkhpl.org.np. Retrieved 2017-02-27.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Gregory B. Poindexter (May 11, 2015), "Nepal's 456-MW Upper Tamakoshi hydroelectric project suffers "settlement"", Hydro World
  3. ↑ "Upper Tamakoshi project: Completion deadline pushed back again". Retrieved 2017-02-27.
  4. 1 2 "Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project:Half of Tunnel Work Completed", The Kathmandu Post, February 24, 2013 – via HighBeam (subscription required)
  5. 1 2 "About Tamakoshi Hydro". utkhpl.org.np. Retrieved 2017-02-27.
  6. ↑ H.E. AMBASSADOR YANG HOULAN VISITS UPPER TAMAKOSHI HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT BEING CONSTRUCTED BY SINOHYDRO, States News Service, March 8, 2012 – via HighBeam (subscription required)
  7. ↑ "Govt Mobilises APF Team at Upper Tamakoshi Project", The Kathmandu Post, December 16, 2012 – via HighBeam (subscription required)
  8. ↑ Nearly 200 Chinese workers stranded but safe in hydropower project construction site in quake-hit Nepal, Xinhua News Agency, 2015-05-03
  9. ↑ Michael Harris (March 24, 2015), "NEA forms committee to mediate worker strike at 456-MW Upper Tamakoshi hydropower plant", Hydro World
  10. ↑ "Works Resume at Upper Tamakoshi", The Kathmandu Post, March 31, 2015
  11. ↑ "Upper Tamakoshi Project in crisis as staff, contractor do not return", República, July 19, 2015
  12. ↑ New consultant to be hired for Upper Tamakoshi, Khatmandu: Online Khabar, May 10, 2018
  13. ↑ "Khatiwada Dispels Doubts on 8pc Growth", The Kathmandu Post, May 31, 2018 – via HighBeam (subscription required)

Further reading

  • Bishnudhan Niwas, Annapurna Marg Gyaneswor (February 2011), Project overview (PDF), Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Limited
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