The construction of the headrace tunnel of Mangdechhu Hydroelectric Project Authority (MHPA) in Trongsa will be complete, this June.
Currently two phases of the construction have been complete, and the third and final phase is underway. Under third phase, additional 500 metres of tunnel has to be constructed. After that, the headrace tunnel will be operational.
The economic affairs minister, Lekey Dorji and the Indian Ambassador Jaideep Sarkar, attended the completion ceremony of the two phases of headrace tunnel construction in Trongsa, today.
MHPA officials highlighted that despite encountering with several geological hurdles, the two phases of excavation of headrace tunnel (measuring 13 kms in length) were finally complete.
Headrace tunnel is the key component of the hydropower project and it will divert the river from the dam to the powerhouse to run the turbines.
“Mangdechhu Project will be complete within seven years’ time and it is becoming an exemplary project in the SAARC region,” said the MHPA’s Managing Director, A.K.Mishra.
The economic affairs minister, Lekey Dorji, said at the moment, only five percent of the total hydropower energy is harnessed in the country.
However minister added, with the commissioning of few additional projects, more energy can be harnessed. The projects are: Punatsangchhu 1 and 2, Mangdechhu, and Kholongchhu.
The execution works of 720-megawatt Mangdechhu Hydropower Project began in 2011. The cost of the project is Nu 40, 206 M and is expected to be complete by this July.
Once commissioned, the hydroelectric project could be earning gross revenue of Nu 7 billion annually. This is assuming electricity from the project is sold at Nu 2.5 a unit.
