RASUWA: A devastating flood triggered by heavy rainfall in Tibet has caused significant damage to major hydropower projects in Rasuwa, Nepal, leading to a complete halt in electricity generation of up to 200 megawatts.
According to Baburaja Maharjan, CEO of Chilime Hydropower Company, the flood that swept through Kerung and Lendekhola has rendered multiple power stations inoperable.
These include the 111 MW Rasuwagadhi Hydropower Project, 60 MW Trishuli 3A, 21 MW Trishuli, and 15 MW Devighat Hydropower Plant.
“From a national grid perspective, 200 MW may not sound critical,” Maharjan said, “but the Rasuwagadhi project’s entire external infrastructure has been completely destroyed.”
He added that due to the scale of damage, especially at Rasuwagadhi and Trishuli 3A, resuming operations in the near term is not feasible.
The Bhote Koshi and Trishuli corridor projects have also been severely affected, with no possibility of restarting electricity production anytime soon.
Despite the setback, Maharjan noted that the impact on national electricity supply may be minimal for now, as most of Nepal’s hydropower projects are running at full capacity due to the monsoon season.
However, he cautioned that substantial investment will be required to rebuild damaged infrastructure and restore power in the affected regions.
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