Damage hits over 10 hydropower projects on Nepal side

KATHMANDU: A devastating flood that struck the Lehende River (Bhotekoshi) on Tuesday, entering Nepal from Tibet, has caused significant damage to more than 10 hydropower projects in Nepal’s Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts.

According to the Independent Power Producers’ Association Nepal (IPPAN), both operational and under-construction hydropower plants were severely affected by the flood.

Approximately 250 megawatts of power generation has been halted, and construction work on projects with a combined capacity exceeding 350 megawatts has been suspended, resulting in substantial physical and financial losses.

Key affected projects include the 111 MW Rasuwa Gadhi Hydropower, 60 MW Trishuli 3A, 25 MW Trishuli Hydropower Center, 22 MW Chilime, 14 MW Upper Mailung, 14 MW Devighat, and 5 MW Mailung Khola hydropower plants, all of which have ceased electricity production. Production at Trishuli 3B hub substation, which transmits power from Mailung, Upper Mailung, Devighat, and Trishuli plants, was also disrupted due to damage.

Except for Devighat, Trishuli, and Trishuli 3A, all other projects are led by the private sector, including the ongoing construction sites. The flood also damaged under-construction projects such as the 216 MW Upper Trishuli 1, 100 MW Super Trishuli, and 37 MW Trishuli 3B hydropower plants, halting their progress.

Additionally, the Trishuli 3B hub substation and transmission lines suffered damage, causing a halt in power generation and distribution. This interruption is expected to result in daily production losses worth millions of rupees.

The IPPAN statement expressed deep concern over the destruction of the main Nepal-China trade route, including the collapse of the bridge at the border and the flooding of the dry port at Timure.

This disruption has stranded dozens of cargo containers and hundreds of trucks at customs points, significantly affecting Nepalese traders. As trade worth over NPR 100 billion annually passes through this route, the closure severely impacts government revenue collection.

While floods and landslides wreak havoc, IPPAN also extended gratitude to the Government of Nepal, the Nepal Army, Nepal Police, and Armed Police Force for their prompt rescue efforts, which saved about 150 lives, including 36 workers from the Rasuwa Gadhi hydropower project.

IPPAN urged the government to facilitate policy and procedural support for the swift reconstruction of damaged infrastructure, restore power generation and transmission, and implement necessary measures to prevent further loss of lives and property.