Rahughat hydropower project deadline extended for the fourth time, physical progress 95 per cent

लगानी न्यूज

८ बैशाख २०८३, मंगलवार १०:१८April 21, 2026

Myagdi. Raghuganga Hydropower Project, a subsidiary of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), has achieved 95 per cent physical progress. The construction of physical infrastructures of tunnel, dam and powerhouse, installation of equipment has reached the final stage.

Ganesh KC, managing director of Raghuganga Hydropower, said that preparations are being made to test the physical infrastructures built with the aim of producing test by mid-May.TAG_OPEN_div_31 “Civil, hydro and electro-mechanical structures have been completed and finishing works are being done”, he said, adding, “We are preparing to test the tunnel by filling water after closing the four entry points to the tunnel”. ”

Jai Prakash Associates (JP), an Indian civil contractor, had signed the contract for Rs 6 billion on November 17, 2017 with a target to complete the project in 45 months.TAG_OPEN_div_29 The deadline was extended for the first time in February 2022, the second time in February 2022 and the third time until November 2025. KC said works are being carried out as per the target of completing the project within the extended deadline for the fourth time.

A dam, a 6-kilometer-long 270-meter long main tunnel and two reservoirs have been constructed at the foothills of Raghuganga Rural Municipality-4, Dagnam and Ward No. 5.TAG_OPEN_div_27 The construction of the powerhouse at Tilkenichaur has been completed and painting has begun. One unit of twenty MW has already been installed while the parts of another unit have reached the final stage.

KC said that a switchyard has been constructed on the premises of the power house to connect the electricity generated from the project to the central transmission line.TAG_OPEN_div_25

Harish Agrawal, project manager of JP Company, said that the construction works have been delayed due to the corona epidemic, natural disasters including floods and landslides and shortage of river-based construction materials.TAG_OPEN_div_23 Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) and Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) had signed an electromechanical contract for USD 10.293 million in October 2019.

The project was implemented with a concessional loan of $TAG_OPEN_div_21 67 million from the Exim Bank of India and joint investment of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) and the Government of Nepal.

Due to poor financial condition, the contract with the old contractor IVRCL was terminated in 2072 BS and the construction was started through a new process.TAG_OPEN_div_19 The civil contractor Jaya Prakash Associates (JP) had started digging the approach road in July 2075 BS and tunnel in July 2076BS.

The project had signed the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) in April 2018 with the target of generating 240.593 million units of electricity annually.TAG_OPEN_div_17 The electricity generated from Rahughat will be connected to the 220-KV Dana-Kusma transmission line under the Kaligandaki corridor through the Lilo medium to connect the electricity to the central grid. According to the project office, four towers and transmission line have already been constructed.