Damauli. Tanahun: A total of 73,000 cubic meters of concrete has been constructed for the main dam under the 140 MW Tanahun Hydropower Project under construction at Rishing Rural Municipality-1 in Tanahun. About 900,000 cubic meters of concrete was to be constructed for the construction of the 140-meter-high main dam, but 73,000 cubic meters have been completed so far.

Chief of the hydropower project, Shyamji Bhandari, informed that the work for the concrete of the main dam started from March 1, 2081 BS. According to him, the construction of the dam has been forwarded by returning the Seti river at Byas municipality-5 and Rishing rural municipality-1 under package-1 of the project.

According to Project Chief Bhandari, concrete blocks have been lifted up to an average height of 10 meters above the foundation of the dam under the construction of the 140-meter-high dam. He said that the temperature control of large concrete of the high dam is considered to be very sensitive, so the work is being done keeping it in mind.

The work of digging the foundation started from November 1, 2080 BS and was completed in June 2081 BS. According to Bhandari, a 626.92-metre-long tunnel has been constructed and brought back to the Seti River flowing through the border of Rishing Rural Municipality-1 and Byas Municipality-5 by constructing a 626.92-metre-long tunnel from the upper coastal area of the main dam construction site.

“The water returned through the diversion tunnel was diverted back from the main dam construction site to the Seti river through the lower coastal areas. It is considered important to restore the river for the construction of the dam,” he said.

According to the Project Office, the construction of the 140-meter-high dam under package-1 started from September 1, 2078 BS and the progress so far has been 43.5 percent.

According to Bhandari, the equipment is being installed after completing the structural works inside the power house under ‘Package-2’. According to him, 67 percent progress has been made in the construction of underground power houses under ‘Package-2’ and 74 percent progress in the construction of transmission lines under ‘Package-3’.

The overall construction of the project is expected to be completed by June 2083 BS. The total cost of the project including capital structure and financial management (including transmission line, rural electrification and interest for the construction period) is estimated at US$ 505 million.

Asian Development Bank (ADB) will bear $150 million, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) $184 million, European Investment Bank $85 million and Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) $86 million under the Government of Nepal.