Government committed to complete Upper Tamakoshi on time

The government is committed to bring the Upper Tamakoshi hydropower into operation after mid-July 2016.

Asking the developers today to expedite the 456- megawatt Upper Tamakoshi powerhouse construction and land acquisition to build transmission lines as soon as possible secretary at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers Krishna Hari Baskota said that the hydropower project is one of the national pride projects. "It should not face any shortages of budget or staff," he said, asking the developers to concentrate on completing construction of pen-stock shaft, powerhouse, transmission lines and sub stations on time.

The hydel project financed by the domestic resources is going to float shares to the public replicating the success of Chilime Hydropower.

After the issue of public share, the share structure of the run-of-the-river project in Dolakha district will be; Nepal Electricity Authority's 41 per cent, Nepal Telecom (six per cent), Citizen Investment Trust (two per cent), Rastriya Beema Sansthan (two per cent), public (15 per cent), locals of Dolakha (10 per cent), and clients of Employees Provident Fund, and employees of Tamakoshi Hydropower Company, NEA and lending institutions (24 per cent).

Rs 35.29 billion project has so far spent Rs 16.29 billion, Baskota informed, adding that works are underway on all four fronts of civil construction, hydromechanical and electromechanical equipment designing and installation, and building of transmission lines and substations. "Around 51 per cent of work on building concrete structure at headworks is complete."

The project has signed Power Purchase Agrement (PPA) with NEA to sell the electricity generated at  a cost of Rs 3.63 during wet season and Rs 6.98 during dry season per unit.