Urja Khabar
Kathmandu; The Chilime Engineering and Services Company Limited (ChesCo) and Andritz Hydro Pvt. Ltd. India have initiated to collaboration for the effective operation and maintenance (O&M) of hydropower projects and services. Both companies have started cooperation in organizing workshops and seminars on the topic of 'Future-Proof Hydropower: Paradigm Shift in O&M Practices'.
During the joint workshop held in Kathmandu on Tuesday, Kulman Ghising, the Managing Director of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), expressed happiness over ChesCo's involvement in the operation and maintenance services of hydropower projects. He mentioned that the collaboration between the two companies would be beneficial for 'O&M' service sector.
It's a matter of happiness that four projects are under construction and another one is in operation under Chilime Hydropower Company," he said. "The collaboration between ChesCo and Andritz will make O&M services more effective.
Andritz Hydro has also been operating efficiently in Nepal, providing its production, technical, and engineering services to many hydropower projects in both governmental and private sectors. They have expressed satisfaction with the excellent team they have been managing in Nepal. Moreover, they have indicated their expectation for future collaborations with various Nepalese entities.
Recently, countries like Norway have set examples by fully automating their hydropower projects, making powerhouses humanless and significantly reducing operational costs, Ghising has indicated the necessity to bring similar automation in the operation of Nepal's projects to cut down operational expenses.
Prajesh Bikram Thapa, the Chief Executive Officer of ChesCo, has highlighted the shortage of skilled manpower and brain drain in the field of O&M of hydropower projects. He mentioned that the country is suffering from a scarcity of competent manpower in this sector due to emigration and a decline in intellectual capacity.
"The NEA has projected a significant increase in electricity demand, estimating a rise from 9,000 MW until 2032 to over 18,000 MW by 2035. Addressing this, it has been emphasized that special attention needs to be given to the operation and maintenance of projects", Thapa has focused.
Furthermore, he emphasized the importance of embracing developed technologies worldwide, especially given the long-term operation of many hydropower projects constructed in the same river as a cascade. He also stressed the need to pay attention to external markets to increase energy demand and consumption. In this context, he highlighted the increasing significance of O&M services. According to him ChesCo provided information on its provision of services in four main areas: energy, infrastructure, environmental studies, and business consultancy.
Balaram Khatiwada, General Secretary of Independent Power Producers' Association, Nepal (IPPAN), has stated that in the current situation, the operation and maintenance of hydropower projects have become more challenging than their construction. Therefore, he has expressed a positive view towards the concept of 'O&M'.
Similarly, Ajay Agrawal, Head of Sales Marketing - Service & Rehabilitation at ANDRITZ HYDRO Pvt. Ltd., emphasized that there is still 80% potential for hydropower production in Asia and Africa. He highlighted the increasing importance of O&M services to fulfill this potential. He add, Andritz has been present in India since 1902 and has extended its services to worldwide, particularly in South Asia. It has been providing all kinds of services necessary for hydropower projects in the majority of countries across the globe.
Andritz Hydro, under full ownership of the Andritz Group since 2009, has been providing production and distribution services at a high quality without entering into any compromise agreements. It has emphasized maintaining high-quality standards in their services and equipment. In recent times, Andritz has been engaged in the production of necessary turbines and equipment for pump storage projects. During the program, it has also presented visual materials about the production plant located in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.
In the program, Andritz's O&M Service Head Nilesh Gupta provided information about the latest online technology, "Diomera," used for inspecting and identifying issues in hydropower project operations. Same as, Andritz's O&M team leader Ritesh Kumar and team member Rahul Singh shared insights into various aspects of operation and maintenance, along with information on spare parts and logistics.
