Disasters cause damage worth Rs. 4.3bn in energy, irrigation sectors

Kathmandu, Sept. 30: Due to continuous rain for two days, floods and landslides across the country have caused losses of approximately Rs. 4.35 billion in the energy and irrigation sectors.

According to preliminary report of Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, there was a total estimate of damages of Rs. 4.35 billion, including Rs. 1.35 billion in river control and irrigation and Rs. 3 billion in energy sector. Due to floods and landslides caused by incessant rains, more than two dozen hydropower projects have been affected severely. 

Around Rs. 2.45 billion has been lost due to floods and landslides in the hydropower sector.

Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Deepak Khadka said that about 1,100 megawatts of electricity production has been stopped after the floods damaged the hydropower projects across the country.

Similarly, in the sector of irrigation infrastructure, the damage has been estimated at Rs 1.35 billion.

Khadka said that about 11 hydropower projects with installed capacity of 625.96 MW, including 456 MW Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project, have been damaged by the floods and landslides.

Similarly, 15 under-construction hydropower projects with a total installed capacity of 1,010.29 megawatts were damaged.

Managing Director of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) Kul Man Ghising said that the Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project has now been closed since Friday evening.

He said that if 456 MW Upper Tamakoshi, which has been closed for the last three days, is closed for a long time, there will be problems in load management.

“There are no actual details of damage of the hydropower project. However, the control rooms, the descenders pond and the canals (culvert) that carry water from the dam to the descender have been damaged,” he said.

According to him, if it will take a long time to rebuild the damaged infrastructure of the hydropower project, the import of electricity will have to be increased to manage the domestic demand during the dry season.

Power generation of hydropower projects, including 22 MW Bagmati Small Hydropower Project, 22.1 MW Lower Hewa Khola, 14.9 MW Hewa Khola ‘A’, 86 MW Solu Dudhkoshi, 3 MW Mai Khola Cascade Hydropower, 9.6 MW Mai Khola, 1 MW Pheme Khola, 5 MW Siuri Khola, 40 MW 2 MW Khani Khola, 4.36 MW Tunguna Thosne were affected by the floods.

Similarly, under-construction hydropower projects, including 216 MW Upper Trishuli-1, 40 MW Super Nyagdi, 25 MW Ilep Khola Hydropower Project, 5 MW Hewa Khola, 15.1 MW Sabha Khola ‘B’, 6.3 MW Sabha Khola ‘C’, 86.59 MW Landruk Modi, 100 MW Super Trishuli, 20 MW Langtang Khola, 14.9 MW Maya Khola, 99.4 MW Lapche Khola, 40 MW Bhotekoshi-1, 82 MW Lower Solu, 140 MW Tanahun Hydropower, and 120 MW Rasuwa Bhotekoshi Hydropower were damaged.

President of Independent Power Producer’s Association, Nepal (IPPAN) Ganesh Karki said that that there were two types of damage due to flood in the projects. 

Karki said that the power house, headworks and goods of the hydroelectric projects were washed away and the road infrastructure was disrupted. 

He said that even though there was not much damage to any project due to flood, it would take six months to build the access road to the project.

He asked the government to provide subsidy in the import of materials to rebuild the damaged hydropower projects at the earliest possible.

The floods and landslides have also damaged transmission and distribution lines along with the hydropower which make it difficult to manage supply system in many places, he said.

According to him, two towers have been damaged in Kabeli Corridor. Electricity service is interrupted in Ilam and Phidim. 

He said that attempts are being made to resume service there by arranging alternative means.

Similarly, about 200 megawatts of energy have also been interrupted due to the Tamakosi River sweeping away the two towers of Khimti-Lamosanghu 132 kV transmission line, he informed.

Electricity is supplied to Kathmandu from Khimti-Lamosanghu 132 kV transmission lines.

Ghising said that NEA has deployed employees in the affected areas with the coordination of concerned authority to restore the electricity supply by rebuilding the damaged infrastructures. 

Irrigation canals damaged 

According to the Ministry, the tail scape of 10 branch canals under the Sunsari Morang irrigation project has been damaged.

Similarly, the flood has damaged to the East Main Canal and West Main Canal and branch canals in the Bagmati Irrigation Project, with an estimated damage of Rs. 30 million.

The Ministry said that the Mahuli River has damaged the Koshi Pump Chandra Canal Project.

Mahakali Irrigation Project, Kanchanpur and other areas were affected by the flood in the month of Bhadra and caused a loss of around Rs. 1.14 billion.

According to the Ministry, due to heavy rains, river cutting, inundation and flooding in various areas caused a total loss of Rs. 1.16 billion towards river control.

Details and data related to the damage are still being received, and further updates will be made after the complete data is collected, said the Ministry.