Upper Tamakoshi Hydroelectric Project

Last updated
Upper Tamakoshi Hydroelectric Project
maathillo taamaakoshii nirmaannsthl.png
Upper Tamakoshi diversion dam
Nepal Bagmati rel location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location of Upper Tamakoshi Hydroelectric Project in Bagmati Province
Nepal rel location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Upper Tamakoshi Hydroelectric Project (Nepal)
CountryNepal
Location Gaurishankar Conservation Area, Dolakha District
Coordinates 27°50′38″N86°13′05″E / 27.844°N 86.218°E / 27.844; 86.218
PurposeHydroelectricity
StatusOperational
Construction began2011
Opening date2021
Owner(s)Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Limited
Dam and spillways
Type of dam Run-of-river
ImpoundsTamakoshi River
Height22 m
Length60 m
Coordinates 27°55′30″N86°12′47″E / 27.925°N 86.213°E / 27.925; 86.213
Type Underground 142 m long hall
Hydraulic head 822 m
Turbines 6×Pelton wheels
Installed capacity 456 MW @ maximum flow 66 m3/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 is the largest hydroelectric project in Nepal, operating since July 2021. [2] [3] It is sited on the Tamakoshi River (also spelled Tama Koshi), a tributary of the Sapt Koshi river (also spelled Saptakoshi), near the Nepal–Tibet border.

Contents

The Upper Tamakoshi Hydroelectric Project was a Nepal national priority project. When it is operated at full capacity, it is the largest hydroelectric plant in Nepal, with a power output equivalent to two-thirds of Nepal's current power generation. [4] [5] The project was 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. [6]

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. [6]

Construction

Upper Tamakoshi access tunnel Upper Tamakoshi Access Tunnel.jpg
Upper Tamakoshi access tunnel

Construction began in February 2011, and the project was originally slated for completion in July 2018, later pushed back to December 2018, and again pushed back to November 2019. [4] [7] [8] Works suffered new delays in 2019, and the most recently announced completion date of February 2020 is likely to be missed too. [3] Sinohydro is the contractor for civil construction, [9] Andritz Hydro GhmH of Austria is the contractor supplying electro-mechanical equipment, [10] and KEC International of India is the contractor for 220 kV transmission line and sub-station. [11]

The consultant for detailed design and construction supervision is Joint Venture Norconsult-Lahmeyer [12] in association with the local sub-consultant Total Management Services. [13] Norconsult is Norway's largest and one of the leading multidisciplinary consultancy firms in the Nordic region. [14] Lahmeyer is a German engineering consultant that in 2019 was re-branded to Tractebel Engineering GmbH [15] The same consultant, JV Norconsult-Lahmeyer was responsible for tender design for the project. [16]

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. [17] Work was disrupted by the April 2015 Nepal earthquake, after which over 200 Chinese workers were evacuated. [4] [18] Work was disrupted throughout the construction project by labor strikes. [19] [20] The earthquake also caused damage to roads and bridges and buried the troop barracks at the site. [21]

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. [22] Later in May, the country's finance minister said that the project was expected to contribute to robust national economic growth in 2018. [23]

Installation of penstocks began in February 2019 by a European contractor after the original Indian contractor failed to perform the work. [24] A new date of November 2019 was set for initial energy production. [8]

The project was put on hold prior to completion of its testing and commissioning phase in 2020, when skilled foreign workers became unavailable in Nepal due to the global COVID-19 epidemic. [25]

On 5 July 2021, the project was inaugurated by prime minister KP Sharma Oli. [2]

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 at Lamabagar; a 360 m high surge shaft; and a total of 16 km of headrace and tailrace tunnels. [4] [5] The gross head will be 822 m. [4] Near the dam are two 246 m × 26 m settling basins to remove particles greater than 0.15 mm. [26]

In January 2019 it was reported that the project did not have approval to clear forest land for new double 220 kVA electrical transmission lines to replace existing 132 kVA lines. [27] After its completion, the first unit started production from 5 July 2021.

Related Research Articles

Sinohydro is a Chinese state-owned hydropower engineering and construction company. In the 2012 Engineering News-Record Top 225 Global Contractors, a ranking by annual revenue, the company is 14th by overall position, and 6th among Chinese construction companies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hydropower dams in Myanmar</span>

There are almost 200 large dams in Myanmar. Myanmar (Burma) has a large hydroelectric power potential of 39,000 megawatts (52,000,000 hp), although the economical exploitable potential is about 37,000 megawatts (50,000,000 hp). Between 1990 and 2002, the country tripled its installed capacity of hydro plants, increasing from 253 megawatts (339,000 hp) to 745 megawatts (999,000 hp). Total installed capacity in 2010 is at least 2,449 megawatts (3,284,000 hp) MW, 6% of potential. Several large dams are planned to increase future hydro utilization.

The Rusumo Hydroelectric Power Station, also known as the Rusumo Power Station, is a hydropower plant under construction, with initial planned capacity installation of 80 megawatts (110,000 hp) when completed. The project will involve the construction of a dam, with run of river design. A more expensive 90 megawatts (120,000 hp) reservoir design was considered before being abandoned in favor of an 80 MW project with a smaller environmental impact and an estimated cost of US$300 million compared to US$400 million for the bigger project. The World Bank announced on 6 August 2013 that it had approved loans totaling US$340 million towards the US$468.60 million needed for the project. In November 2013, the African Development Bank approved a loan of US$113 million towards completion of the project.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Renewable energy in Nepal</span> Overview of renewable energy in Nepal

Renewable energy in Nepal is a sector that is rapidly developing in Nepal. While Nepal mainly relies on burning biomass for its energy needs, solar and wind power is being seen as an important supplement to solve its energy crisis. The most common form of renewable energy in Nepal is hydroelectricity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Broadlands Dam</span> Dam in Kitulgala

The Broadlands Dam is a 35 MW run-of-the-river hydroelectric complex currently under construction in Kitulgala, Sri Lanka. The project is expected to be completed in 2020, and will consist of two dams, and a power station further downstream.

Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), founded on 16 August 1985, is the parent generator and distributor of electric power under the supervision of the government of Nepal.

Panauti Hydropower Station is the third hydropower station which was constructed in Nepal, in 1965. It is the first megawatt (MW) capacity hydropower station in Nepal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kulekhani Reservoir</span> Dam in Kulekhani, Makwanpur District, Narayani Zone

The Kulekhani Dam is a rock-fill dam on the Kulekhani River near Kulekhani in the Indrasarowar Rural Municipality of Makwanpur District in Bagmati Province, Nepal. The primary purpose of the dam is hydroelectric power generation and it supports the 60 MW Kulekhani I and 32 MW Kulekhani II Hydropower Stations. Construction began in 1977 and Kulekhani I was commissioned in 1982. Kulekhani II was commissioned in 1986 and a third power station, the 14 MW Kulekhani III was expected to be commissioned in May 2015 but was delayed due to issues with the builder. The US$117.84 million project received funding from the World Bank, Kuwait Fund, UNDP, Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund and OPEC Fund. It is owned by Nepal Electricity Authority.

Nenskra Hydro Power Plant is a proposed hydroelectric power station to be located on the southern slopes of the Central Caucasus mountains in Svaneti, Georgia.

The Budhi Gandaki Hydroelectric Project is a proposed hydroelectric power plant in Nepal, to be developed by Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA).

The Moragolla Dam is a planned hydroelectric dam in Moragolla, Sri Lanka. The dam is to be 35 m (115 ft) high and is planned to create the 1,980,000 m3 (70,000,000 cu ft) Moragolla Reservoir with a maximum supply level at 548 m (1,798 ft) MSL. Upon completion, the Moragolla Power Station would have a gross installed capacity of 30 megawatts from two francis turbines, capable of generating approximately 85 GWh annually.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tamakoshi River</span> River in Bagmati Province, Nepal

The Tamakoshi River is part of the Koshi or Sapta Koshi river system in Nepalese Himalayas. It originates from Rongshar Chu and Lapchi Gang rivers close to the Nepal-Tibet border. It flows in southern direction through Bagmati Province in Nepal, namely through Dolakha District and Ramechhap District.

Nuwakot Solar Power Station is located at Nuwakot District of Nepal. It is the largest solar power plant of Nepal. The plant is owned by Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA). The solar panels are installed in six locations within the premises of Devighat Hydropower Station which is also owned by the NEA. Energy generated by the project is connected to the 66 kV sub-station of Devighat Hydropower Station. The solar station generates energy only during the daytime.

Sipring Khola Hydropower Station is a run-of-river hydro-electric plant located in Dolakha District of Nepal. The flow from Sipring River, a tributary of Tamakoshi River, is used to generate 10 MW electricity. The design head is 443.7 m and the design flow is 2.61m3/s.

Kabeli B1 Hydropower Station is a 25 MW run-of-river hydro-electric plant located in Panchthar District of Nepal. The promoter and operator, with a 20% share, is Arun Kabeli Power Limited (AKPL), a subsidiary of Arun Valley Group.

Rudi A Hydropower Station is a run-of-river hydro-electric plant located in the Kaski District of Nepal that came into operation in 2019. The flow from the Rudi River is used to generate 8.8 MW electricity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Golyan Group</span> Nepalese business enterprise

The Golyan Group is a Nepalese corporate business enterprise that has been operating in Nepal for over six decades. The group has diversified investments in various business verticals, including manufacturing, agriculture, tourism, real estate, financial services, and renewable energy.

References

  1. ↑ "Salient Features". utkhpl.org.np. Retrieved 2017-02-27.
  2. 1 2 Republica. "Much-awaited Upper Tamakoshi Hydro Project formally starts production from Monday". My Republica. Retrieved 2021-07-05.
  3. 1 2 "Upper Tamakoshi project makes progress on penstock installation". The Kathmandu Post. 11 October 2019.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Gregory B. Poindexter (May 11, 2015), "Nepal's 456-MW Upper Tamakoshi hydroelectric project suffers "settlement"", Hydro World
  5. 1 2 "Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project:Half of Tunnel Work Completed", The Kathmandu Post, February 24, 2013, archived from the original on April 18, 2016
  6. 1 2 "About Tamakoshi Hydro". utkhpl.org.np. Retrieved 2017-02-27.
  7. ↑ Subedi, Bibek (December 22, 2016). "Upper Tamakoshi project: Completion deadline pushed back again". The Kathmandu Post . Retrieved 2019-03-17.
  8. 1 2 Penstock pipe-laying work commences at Upper Tamakoshi hydel project, Himalayan News Service, February 25, 2019 – via The Himalayan Times
  9. ↑ H.E. Ambassador Yang houlan visits Upper Tamakoshi Hydroelectric Project being constructed by Sinohydro, States News Service, March 8, 2012, archived from the original on April 9, 2016
  10. ↑ AG, ANDRITZ. "Upper Tamakoshi, Nepal". www.andritz.com. Retrieved 2022-10-22.
  11. ↑ "KEC International gets Upper Tamakoshi HEP TRL". NepalEnergyForum. 2012-12-02. Retrieved 2022-10-22.
  12. ↑ "Projects - Upper Tamakoshi Hydroelectric Project - Norconsult". www.norconsult.com. Retrieved 2022-10-22.
  13. ↑ "Total Management Services". tms.com.np. Retrieved 2022-10-22.
  14. ↑ "Norconsult AS". Norway Exports. Retrieved 2022-10-22.
  15. ↑ "Lahmeyer International is now Tractebel". tractebel-engie.com. Retrieved 2022-10-22.
  16. ↑ "Projects - Upper Tamakoshi Hydroelectric Project - Norconsult". www.norconsult.com. Retrieved 2022-10-22.
  17. ↑ "Govt Mobilises APF Team at Upper Tamakoshi Project", The Kathmandu Post, December 16, 2012, archived from the original on April 16, 2016
  18. ↑ Nearly 200 Chinese workers stranded but safe in hydropower project construction site in quake-hit Nepal, Xinhua News Agency, 2015-05-03, archived from the original on May 8, 2015
  19. ↑ Michael Harris (March 24, 2015), "NEA forms committee to mediate worker strike at 456-MW Upper Tamakoshi hydropower plant", Hydro World
  20. ↑ "Works Resume at Upper Tamakoshi", The Kathmandu Post, March 31, 2015, archived from the original on October 18, 2016
  21. ↑ "Upper Tamakoshi Project in crisis as staff, contractor do not return", República , July 19, 2015
  22. ↑ New consultant to be hired for Upper Tamakoshi, Khatmandu: Online Khabar, May 10, 2018
  23. ↑ "Khatiwada Dispels Doubts on 8pc Growth", The Kathmandu Post, May 31, 2018, archived from the original on June 12, 2018
  24. ↑ Subedi, Bibek (2018-12-25). "Penstock installation task reassigned to Austrian company". The Kathmandu Post. Retrieved 2019-03-17.
  25. ↑ Sangam Prasain; Prithvi Man Shrestha (August 31, 2020). "Pandemic delays dozens of projects, from mega to small, that were on their final lap". Khatmandu Post.
  26. ↑ Ghimire 2012, p. 137.
  27. ↑ Poudel, Umesh (January 30, 2019). "Electricity generated by Upper Tamakoshi hydro project could go to waste". The Himalayan Times.

Sources

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.