Myagdi. The Tundi Power Company has constructed two hydropower projects on the Rahughat River that flows through Raghuganga Rural Municipality of Myagdi.

Two projects with a capacity of 84 MW have been connected to the central grid by two hydropower projects of Raghuganga Rural Municipality-4, 7 and 8. Pushpa Dangi, manager of Tundi Power Company, said that commercial production has started after the completion of trial of the ‘run of the river’ project.

“The 35.5 MW Chimkhola-Rahughat-Mangale hydropower project promoted by Tundi Power and its cascade of 48.5 MW Upper Rahughat have come into operation,” he said, adding that the Chimkhola-Rahughat-Mangale hydropower project has started commercial production from August 4 while the Upper Rahughat is in the commercial production phase. ”

“The projects constructed in the last four years are in a position to operate in full capacity as per the available source of water,” Dangi said. According to him, the estimated cost of both the projects is Rs 13 billion.

The electricity generated from these projects has been connected to the national grid from the switchyard of Rahughat Hydropower Project located at Tilkenichaur of Raghuganga rural municipality-3, said residential engineer Prakash Timilsina. According to him, 39 towers have been constructed from Chimkhola to Rahughat.

A 110-metre-long, eight metre-high pond and 30-metre wide pond has been constructed nearby the dam at Bandima of Raghuganga rural municipality-8 in the Chimkhola-Rahughat-Mangale. The 950-metre long penstock pipeline was set to divert water from a 5-kilometer-long tunnel to the powerhouse at Bagar of Chimkhola, Raghuganga-7. The height of the tunnel outlet from the powerhouse is 360 meters, said engineer Timilsina.

The power generated from Upper Rahughat will be generated from the Chimkhola-Mangale-Rahughat powerhouse and the water from Bagar rivulet of Chimkhola. The 4,900-metre-long upper tunnel is located at the foothills of Raghuganga rural municipality-4, Dagnam. A 680-meter long penstock pipeline has been connected from the outlet to the powerhouse.

Everest Hydro is the electromechanical contractor for both the projects while Machhapuchchhre Metal and Machinery is the hydro-mechanical contractor. Ramechhap Sherpa Construction is the civil contractor for the project. South Asian Infrastructure has constructed the tunnel,” Timilsina said.

The 21.3-megawatt Thulokhola Hydropower Project constructed by the United Power Limited at Thulokhola, an assistant of Rahughat, had started commercial power in August. 132 KV transmission line from Thulokhola powerhouse in Bandi to Chimkhola-Rahughat-Mangale powerhouse is being constructed in partnership with 22.5 MW Upper Thulokhola Hydropower Project.

The 220 KV transmission line from Chimkhola to Tilkeni is being constructed by Thulokhola, Upper Thulokhola, Chimkhola-Rahughat-Mangale and Upper Rahughat Hydropower Projects.

Chairperson of Raghuganga Rural Municipality Bhab Bahadur Bhandari said that construction of two more hydropower projects with a capacity of 63.5 megawatts is in the final stage. The construction of 40 MW Rahughat and 23.5 MW Upper Thulokhola hydropower projects is in the final phase. Rahughat and Upper Duikhola hydropower projects are expected to be completed within this year.