KATHMANDU: Preparations have begun for the construction of the 335-megawatt Humla Karnali Second Hydropower Project in Humla, one of Nepal’s least developed districts.
The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process for the project is currently underway. The Ministry of Forests and Environment initiated the EIA based on recommendations from the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation.
The Ruru Hydropower Project company will be responsible for developing the project, which will be located in Kharpunath and Sarkegad rural municipalities of Humla.
Earlier, the Ministry of Forests and Environment had called for public feedback on the EIA through a public notice. The project will require 47.13 hectares of land for its construction. Under the Environmental Protection Act, 2076 BS, all hydropower projects with a capacity of over 50 megawatts must undergo a detailed EIA study.
The Humla Karnali Second Hydropower Project is a major undertaking within the Karnali River Basin. It will be built on the Humla Karnali River, a perennial glacier-fed river, giving it strategic and hydrological importance. The project’s design discharge is set at 118.70 cubic meters per second.
Plans include the construction of two diversion tunnels, each measuring 545 meters and 542 meters in length, with a diameter of 9.5 meters.
Once operational, the project is expected to generate 609.89 gigawatt-hours of electricity during the dry season and 1,184.83 gigawatt-hours during the wet season.
The generated electricity will be transmitted to the Mugu Karnali Hub through a 20-kilometer double-circuit 400 kV transmission line, connecting the remote region to the national grid and contributing to Nepal’s energy expansion goals.
Comment