February 9:  Construction of Superdordi ‘Kha’ Hydropower Project with installed capacity of 54 megawatt has been completed in Lamjung. Constructed by People’s Hydropower Company Limited at Dhodeni of Dordi Rural Municiplaity-6, Lamjung , test of the project’s dam and descender is underway at the moment. 

According to the hydropower’s site in-charge Ramesh Sigdel, the work to collect water in descender is going on after the completion of all types of construction work a few days ago.

Testing of the hydropower project is underway by putting water in the intake and descender. Testing of the major tunnel and other structures will start from February 11. 

After around 22 days’ testing of the main tunnel, test production of the hydropower will follow. The project has 5.1-kilometre-long tunnel. The project has total of 10.350 kilometres of tunnel. 

Hydropower project stated that India’s blockade, flood in Dordikhola, COVID-19 and lockdown had delayed the construction work.  The total cost of the project has reached 10.5 billion though preliminary cost estimation for the project was Rs 8.80 billion. 

The hydropower had started construction in 2016 after signing Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) in 2015. The company had set the target to finish the project within four years. 

The deadline was repeatedly extended for failing to finish the construction of the hydropower project. 
Run-of-the-river type hydropower is expected to generate 315 million units of electricity annually.

As per the PPA with Nepal Electricity Authority, the hydropower will sell per unit electricity at Rs 8.40 in dry season and at Rs 4.80 in the summer season.