Rahughat Hydropower Nears Commercial Production

Kathmandu: Rahughat Hydropower Project, which awaited one and a half decades for completion of its construction, has successfully conducted its test production.  

The project is developed by Raghuganga Hydropower Limited (RGHPL)—a subsidiary of the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA)—in Raghuganga Rural Municipality of Myagdi district.

Ganesh KC, managing director of RGHPL stated that the two units each with capacity of 20 megawatts powerhouse underwent testing on Tuesday and Wednesday, with supplying the generated electricity to the national grid. "We have operated both units at full capacity and connected them to the central transmission line," said KC, adding that they will begin commercial production after a 15-day period of test generation in accordance with the agreement with the NEA.

A dam, a 6,270-meter-long main tunnel, and two desilting basins have been constructed expanding at Dagnam (ward no. 4) and Jhin (ward no. 5) of Raghuganga Rural Municipality. The powerhouse is located at Tilkenichaur in Raghuganga Rural Municipality-3, alongside the Beni-Jomsom Road section of the Kaligandaki Corridor.

Project Chief Raj Bahadur Bista stated that an 11-kilometer access road has been constructed from Tilkenichaur to the dam site—passing through Ghumaunetal, Piple, Mauwafant, and Bugl—and a Bailey bridge is built over the Rahughat River. Infrastructure has been developed within the powerhouse premises, including a switchyard and the necessary facilities to connect to the 220 kV (double-circuit) Dana-Kushma transmission line, which is part of the Kaligandaki Corridor.

The project signed a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) in April 2018, targeting an annual electricity generation of 240,593,034 units.

Indian contractor Jaiprakash Associates (JP) was awarded the civil construction contract for around Rs 6 billion. The agreement was initially signed on November 17, 2017, with a 45-month completion deadline. However, the project faced repeated delays and its deadline was extended several times.

Construction was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, floods, landslides and shortages of river-based construction materials, according to JP Project Manager Harish Agrawal.

RGHPL was established in March 2017 to develop the 40-MW project in Myagdi district of Gandaki Province. With gaining success in its test production, the project is now moving toward its long-awaited commercial production phase, which is expected to provide respite from possible shortage of electricity at a time when over 400 MW hydropower projects have been devastated by Rasuwa floods.