By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Feb. 28 Installation of the penstock pipe in the 355-metre vertical shaft was successfully completed in the Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project.
The 456 megawatt project is being constructed in domestic investment at Lamabagar of Bigu Rural Municipality, Dolakha.
Installation of a 220-metre long penstock pipe at the lower vertical shaft and a 135-metre penstock pipe at upper vertical shaft was completed which was expected to be the most difficult task of the project.
Still a 147-metre penstock pine is left to install in lower vertical shaft and a 171-metre pipe in upper vertical shaft, according to a press statement of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA).
It takes around seven days to install 10-metre penstock pipes at the upper vertical shaft and five days at lower vertical shaft, NEA said.
The installation of pipes will complete by April 2020 if no further problem arises.
It will take additional one-and-a-half months to install the pipe at the horizontal span between upper vertical shaft and lower vertical shaft.
Managing Director of NEA and chairman of Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project Limited Kul Man Ghising inspected the hydropower project and held discussion jointly with the project officials, contractors and consultants about the progress of the works.
During the meeting, contractor companies expressed their commitment to conduct work as per the schedule targeting to complete the project construction in time.
He directed the contractor companies to carry out the construction work so that power generation at least in one unit of the project would begin by May 15, 2020.
Power generation from other five units will begin gradually after power generation begins from one unit, he said.
“The Prime Minister and Minister of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation are serious to start power generation by completing the construction works in time. So, power generation from at least one unit should begin within the current fiscal year,” he said.
He said that the government and the NEA were ready to coordinate and cooperate for the timely completion of the project.
He said that the working performance of Lot 2 contractors had improved in recent weeks.
After being delayed by Indian contractor of Lot 2 Texmaco Rail and Engineering Limited in stalling penstock pipe in vertical shaft, the installation of lower vertical shaft was given to Lot 3 contractor Andritz Hydro of Austria with no additional financial burden to Upper Tamakosi Company.
However, Texmaco Rail and Engineering Limited has been installing penstock pipe in Upper Shaft.
MD Ghising instructed the chief of Texmaco Rail and Engineering Limited, who was in India, through telephone from the project site to complete the work in time.
Chief Executive Officer of the Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project Limited Bigyan Shrestha said that grunting and concreting works under the civil works at the main tunnel had reached the final stage.
He said that all the equipment of the power house had been installed and were in ready for operation.