Mai Hydel Project to Start Commercial Production in 5 Months

Eighty-five percent of the construction works of the 22MW Mai Hydropower Project being developed by Sanima Hydropower Pvt Ltd (SHPL) has been completed. The project will start commercial production within the next five months, according to Dr Subarna Das Shrestha, one of the promoters of the project. “We are planning to start commercial production by mid-June this year,” he said, “We are committed to complete the project by then if there are no hurdles.”

 

The power produced by the project will be connected to the national grid through the Godak substation by constructing a 12-km long transmission line. The project is itself building the 132 KV transmission line. “Almost 50 per cent work of the transmission line has already been completed,” shared Dr Shrestha.

 

The project with an estimated construction cost of Rs 4.5 billion lies in Ilam district. A consortium of banks led by Laxmi bank has invested in the project. SHPL has distributed 10 per cent shares of the project each to the locals and general public. The electricity produced by the project will be supplied to various parts of the country through the Kabeli Corridor National Transmission Line which is under construction.

 

This transmission line starts at Damak of Jhapa and ends at Phidim of Pachthar district. However, the construction work of this transmission line which is being built by the Nepal Electricity Authority with the financial assistance of the World Bank is not going at the expected speed.