BENI: The construction of the headrace tunnel for the 53.5 MW Upper Myagdi-1 Hydropower Project, located in Dhawalagiri and Malika Rural Municipalities, is progressing rapidly.
Tunnel excavation has begun from the outlet site at Bharbang in Malika Rural Municipality-7, where the powerhouse will be situated.
At the tunnel excavation inauguration, Malika Rural Municipality Chair Beg Prasad Garbuja urged timely project completion by ensuring the deployment of sufficient manpower and equipment. Tunnel digging is currently underway from four points across the project site.
Previously, excavation had commenced from the audit sites at Khamla and Chhahari, near the dam location.
According to Project Chief Jyoti Kumar KC, the tunnel segment connecting the audit and the outlet will be 1,865 meters long. In total, a 5.7-kilometer tunnel will be constructed from the dam to the powerhouse.
The project, promoted by Myagdi Hydropower Limited, involves the construction of a 15-meter-high, 40-meter-long dam at Khamla in Dhawalagiri-4, designed to divert water from the Myagdi River into the tunnel system.
Civil contractor Luna Builders and Contractors, which signed the agreement on Chaitra 19, 2080 BS and mobilized on Baisakh 28, 2081 BS, has deployed adequate workforce, materials, and machinery at the site.
Tunnel excavation and powerhouse construction have gained momentum, with the goal of starting electricity generation by Falgun 2083 BS.
So far, the 198.90-meter audit tunnel at Chhahari, the 76.54-meter tunnel from the dam, and a 1,270.67-meter main tunnel from the audit site have been completed. Physical progress at the dam site has reached 20 percent.
The project is being developed with an investment of Rs 11.23 billion, raised through loans from six banks, promoter companies, and public shares under the leadership of Sanima Bank.
The generated electricity—averaging 315.01 gigawatt-hours annually—will be transmitted to the national grid via a 1.5-kilometer, 132 kV transmission line connecting to the substation being built by Nepal Electricity Authority at Dadakhet, Malika-7.
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