NEA to invest Rs 420 million to rehabilitate and modernize 15 MW Gandak Hydropower Center

Kathmandu: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) is investing Rs 420 million for maintenance and modernization of 15 MW Gandak Hydropower Center, which has reached a death bed due to lack of maintenance.

The project, established under Nepal-India cooperation, started producing electricity in April, 1979. NEA Managing Director Kulman Ghising said they stepped up rehabilitation and modernization of the center, citing under capacity production of the project due to old and outdated equipment.

The project is located in Suryapura of Pratappur-7 in Nawalparasi district. It has three units in its power house, each with a capacity to produce 5 MW of electricity. Out of them, only one unit is capable of producing electricity. Most of the structures including turbines and electromechanical equipment are in dire straits, according to the NEA.

Ghising said the consultant, NEA Engineering Company Limited has already finalized the detailed designs and cost estimations related to the overall maintenance of the project's infrastructure. According to him, the NEA will call for a tender soon to carry forward the maintenance works.

The project has built a dam across Narayani River in the area of Nepal-India border. India maintains water supply for irrigation also from the collected water. Electricity produced by the hydropower project is supplied to Ramnagar in India and Bardaghat substation in Nepal.

At the time of need, Nepal has been importing around 40 MW of electricity through the 132/33 kV Gandak substation. NEA has been supplying this imported electricity through 33 kV double circuit transmission line stretches that connect Parasi area.

Meanwhile, NEA is constructing a 6 MW solar electricity project on 9.7 bigha land of the center located in Bardaghat-Susta West of Nawalparasi district. Apart from this, the power utility has also planned to build 9 MW solar power projects in Madhya Marsyangdi of Lamjung and Jhuprakhola Small Hydropower Center in Surkhet district.

The total estimated cost of these solar power projects is 11.5 million euro. Out of the amount, Germany will be providing six million euro in grants, while the NEA and the government will invest the remaining amount.