By Laxman Kafle
Kathmandu, Oct. 26: The government has given survey license of the 490.2 MW Arun-IV picking run of river hydropower project in the Arun River to Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA).
The Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation has decided to give the license of the project located in Bhotkhola and Makalu Rural Municipalities of Sankhuwasabha to the power utility.
The Department of Electricity Development has already completed a detailed design and study of the project. The NEA had applied to the Department of Electricity Development for the license on September 4, 2021.

The NEA received the license of the project on Monday, according to the NEA.
The Arun-IV Hydropower Project is in the downstream of the power house of 1,061 MW Upper Arun Hydropower project being constructed by NEA.
NEA will move ahead with two projects of 1,551 MW on Arun River as soon as it gets the license of Arun-IV.

Managing Director of NEA Kul Man Ghising said that the construction of 1,551 MW projects, including Upper Arun and Arun-IV would be carried out simultaneously under the 'People's Hydropower Programme'.
"It is a matter of pleasure for the NEA to get the Arun-IV license. We will give high priority to the Upper Arun and Arun-IV projects and complete the construction and investment modalities within one and a half years," Ghising said. "In order to extend benefit to general public, arrangements will be made for them to invest in the project by through shares."

The Department had identified Arun-IV as a project based on river flow. However, as the Upper Arun is designed in a semi-reservoir model, the Arun-IV is also being made semi-reservoir by making proper use of the water flow in the river.
The dam site of Arun-IV will be located at Bhotkhola Rural Municipality-4 and 5, about 130 metres south of Arun River and Lekseva Dobhan and north of Kapase and Golabasti. The water of the Arun River will be diverted through a dam and taken to the underground sand threshing pond through a 2.55 km long tunnel.

After generating electricity from the power house, water will again be discharged into the Arun River through a 473.4-metre tailrace tunnel.
The project falls in the buffer zone of Makalu Barun National Park.
The power house and dam area of ​​the project are about 62 and 77 kilometres away from Khandbari, headquarters of Sankhuwasabha district.

The road section from Khandbari to the project area under Koshi Highway is being upgraded. The dam area is along the Koshi Highway. According to a study by the Department, the estimated cost of the project is USD 550 million (about Rs. 65 billion). The project will generate 2.09 billion units of electricity annually.