Pharping Hydropower to become an energy museum

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Aug. 2: Pharping Hydropower Station, the first in Nepal and the second in Asia with an installed capacity of 500 kilowatts, will be developed as an energy museum.

The Nepal Electricity Authority is preparing a master plan by appointing NEA Engineering Company Limited as a consultant to develop the centre as a hydropower museum and tourist spot.

There will be renovation of old structures and construction of new ones on vacant land by connecting the historical hydropower station with tourism.

According to the NEA, green park, restaurant, shop, zip line, picnic spot, library, children garden and other structures will be built on the land located in the reservoir and power house area of the centre located in Dakshinkali Municipality of Kathmandu.

The structures of the hydropower centre will be renovated and developed as a museum.

It is estimated that the implementation of the master plan prepared by the consultant will cost around Rs. 1 billion, said the NEA.

Around 324 ropanis of land is under the ownership of the hydropower station. For the construction of tourist structures, around 46 ropanis of reservoir area and about 146 ropanis of power house area will be used.

Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Shakti Bahadur Basnet, who arrived to participate in the tree planting programme held on Monday on the premises of Pharping Hydropower Centre on the occasion of the NEA's 38th anniversary, informed about the master plan.

Minister Basnet, Secretary at the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Dinesh Kumar Ghimire, Managing Director of NEA Kul Man Ghising and others observed the condition of the power plant and other structures of the centre.

Minister Basnet said that the historical significance of the power station should be preserved and developed as a place of reference and a place to understand the history of hydroelectricity for scholars, researchers and all those who are interested.

He emphasised that plans and programmes should be implemented from the centre so that the socio-economic growth of the local residents is achieved.

Secretary Ghimire said that the hydropower centre should be developed as a beautiful tourist spot and study site of the hydropower sector using the natural beauty there.

MD Ghising said that the centre would be developed as an energy museum, research centre and tourist spot after receiving the report of the consultant.

The Pharping Hydroelectric Power Station officially came into operation from May, 1911.

Inaugurated by the then king Prithvi Bir Bikram Shah by lighting a lamp in Tundikhel, electricity was distributed to the royal family, Rana families and others from the hydroelectric power station.

The hydropower station was built during the reign of Rana Prime Minister Chandra Shumsher, so the centre was named Chandrajyoti.

The cost of the project, which took about four years for construction, was Rs. 713,000.

The hydropower centre was in continuous operation until 1981. But after that, the operation of the power plant was suspended when the reservoir water was used for water supply to different areas of Lalitpur, without entering the turbine.

In 2006, the centre was renovated and kept in condition to operate again if necessary.