Gandak hydropower plant to be renovated, modernised

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Nov. 10: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) is going to renovate and modernise the 15 MW Gandak Hydropower Plant located in Pratappur Rural Municipality-7, Suryapura of Nawalparasi (Bardaghat Susta West).

After the electromechanical equipment such as turbine and breaker of the power plant became old, dilapidated and unusable, the Authority started to rehabilitate and modernise the project by installing new equipment in place of the old ones.

Most of the buildings and structures on the power station premises have also become dilapidated.

Electricity generation started in April 1979 from the hydroelectric power station built in accordance with the Gandak Irrigation and Hydropower Project Agreement between the government of Nepal and India.

According to the Gandak Agreement, the hydropower plant was handed over to Nepal on 31 August 1981 by the government of India.

NEA Engineering Company Ltd. has prepared a detailed design and cost estimate for the restoration and modernisation of Gandak Hydropower Project and submitted it to the Authority, according to the NEA.

It is estimated that about Rs. 420 million will be required for the renovation and modernisation of the hydropower project.

There are three units of 5 MW each in the power plant.

Two of them are in working condition, while one unit is damaged and has not been working for a long time. The equipment of operating unit are also old and need to be replaced.

According to the Gandak Agreement between the two countries, the entire right to operate the Gandak Dam rests with India, so the power plant operates on the basis that India releases water into the canal. As a result, it is challenging to operate the power plant easily and continuously throughout the year.

A team led by Managing Director of the NEA Kul Man Ghising visited the site and received information about the condition of the hydropower plant.

Ghising said that since the equipment of the power plant, which was built over four decades ago, has become old and unusable, tenders for rehabilitation and modernisation will be called soon. 

“For maintenance and inspection, the Indian side closes the canal for almost four months every year in October-November and March-April. After the canal is closed, the power plant cannot be operated due to lack of water," he said. "Because the equipment is old, even when water is available, the power plant is not running at full capacity, so it is going to be renovated and modernised."

A dam has been built on Narayani River in Balmiki city of Bihar State on Nepal-India border.

From this dam, the water from Narayani River has been taken to India for irrigation by constructing two canals, the Gandak main east and west.

Sunil Kumar Chaturvedi, chief of Gandak Hydropower Project, said that since there is no need of water for irrigation in the winter season, the canal is closed every year in the name of maintenance and inspection.

"It is said that the canal will be repaired every year, but from what we can see, no repair work has been done, when the canal is closed for about four months every year, electricity cannot be produced," said Chaturvedi.

 "There is no need to repair the canal every year, it has been discussed with the officials of the department several times but no conclusion has been reached."

Solar power on barren land in Gandak

The NEA is going to construct a solar power project with an installed capacity of about 6 megawatts on the barren land owned by the Gandak Hydropower Project at Pratappur Rural Municipality-7 Suryapura, Nawalparasi (Bardaghat Susta West).

Out of the 34 bigha of land owned by the Project, the solar project will be constructed on 9.7 bighas of land.

Along with Gandak, a solar power project of about 9 megawatts will be constructed on the land owned by Madhyamarsyangdi Hydro Project located in Lamjung and Jhuprakhola Micro-hydro Project located in Surkhet, said the NEA.

The estimated cost of the project is 11.5 million euros. For the construction of the project, the German government will provide a grant of 6 million euros through the KFW Development Bank.

The shortfall will be covered by the government and the NEA.

Madhyamarsyangdi and Jhuprakhola hydropower plants will be equipped with about 1 and 2 megawatts of solar power respectively. The electricity produced in the afternoon through the solar panels will be directly connected to the national transmission line.

NEA MD Ghising said that the work is being advanced with the goal of completing the entire contract process and starting the construction of the project within one year.

The construction of the project is planned to be completed by January 2024.