One of the crucial tasks in commissioning any hydropower projects is the success of filling water in the reservoir. The 720MW Mangdechhu Hydropower Project Authority (MHPA) in Trongsa is indicating success in filling the reservoir, diverting the water through the tunnels and other associated activities at the dam.
The project authority’s inspection and assessment revealed that no major signs of seepage, cracking or erosion inside the dam are noted while filling the reservoir. The desired operating minimal water level of about 29 meters height has been achieved. The water level is raised by two meters every day.
“After filling all the water conductor system, we will raise the water at the reservoir to its maximum elevation of 17-47, which means another nineteen meters to be filled up,” Ugyen Dorji, the Executive Engineer of MHPA Dam, said.
The water has been diverted through the tunnel two weeks ago. The project said the filling of water at the pressure shaft and surge shaft has been completed.
Currently, the filling of the headrace tunnel is underway. The testing of two turbines had been successful since last month and scheduled to generate power within this month.
“We are expecting that this project’s first unit will be commissioned by 10th of May. Everything is going well. We have reviewed all the progress made and I am very happy that the Hydropower Authority has really done well in executing this project without any long delays and at a reasonable cost also. So it is a very good project that is going to be commissioned shortly,” Ajay Kumar Bhalla, the Secretary of India’s Ministry of Power, said.
The project is funded with 70 per cent loan and 30 per cent as a grant from India. The two governments recently formalised the starting tariff of the project at Nu 4.12 per unit for 35 years. The tariff would increase by 10 per cent every five years until the loan is paid and 5 per cent thereafter.
