Rs 390.62 Billion Estimated to Rebuild Flood-Hit Energy Sector

Kathmandu: The devastating floods in the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers on August 26 damaged hydropower with a combined capacity of 783 MW in Rasuwa and Nuwakot, causing massive losses to the country’s energy infrastructure.

A Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA) report prepared jointly by the National Planning Commission and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority estimates that Rs 390.62 billion will be required to restore and reconstruct the energy and power-grid systems damaged by the floods.

The assessment identified damage to 13 hydropower projects and five solar projects with a combined capacity of 24 MW in the two districts. The energy and road sectors were among the worst affected by the disaster.

Major hydropower projects affected include the 216 MW Upper Trishuli-1, 111 MW Rasuwagadhi, 120 MW Rasuwa-Bhote Koshi, 60 MW Upper Trishuli-3A, 37 MW Upper Trishuli-3B, 22 MW Chilime, 20 MW Langtang Khola, 15.6 MW Middle Trishuli Ganga, 14.1 MW Devighat, 24 MW Trishuli Hydropower Station and 5 MW Mailung Khola.

The 25 MW Nuwakot Solar Power Project and other solar facilities were also damaged.

According to the report, the floods affected power-generation structures, access roads, transmission lines and other supporting infrastructure, requiring substantial investment to restore the damaged energy system.

The government has estimated that Rs 723.31 billion will be needed for overall reconstruction following the floods. The disaster also damaged 7,570 private houses across Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Gorkha and Chitwan.