The Nikachhu Hydropower Project in Trongsa has completed the entire excavation works of its 12-kilometre-long tunnel. The project officials say this is a milestone achievement as the tunnel plays a pivotal role in taking the water to the turbine to generate power.
Despite challenges like the water absorbed in the rocks hampering the progress, the excavation works of the tunnel have been completed.
Now, only cement-related works inside the tunnel are left for completion.
Similar works are underway at the surge shaft site. All these will take another eight or nine months to complete. The surge shaft is meant to control the water pressure.
“From the dam to the surge shaft and down to the powerhouse, the underground works or excavation works have been completed. So this is a great achievement for us because we were stuck with this head race tunnel. From tomorrow the concrete lining of the tunnel will begin,” said Managing Director of Druk Green Power Corporation (DGPC) Dasho Chhewang Rinzin.
The execution works of the 118-megawatt Nikachhu project began in the spring of 2016. Since then until last month, 87 per cent of the overall work has been completed. Despite missing two deadlines, the project officials are confident of generating power by late next year.
This is because with no covid restrictions, the supply of raw materials from India and third countries is smooth and also there is no issue of labour shortage.
Once complete, the hydropower project will supplement the power generation of the Mangdechhu Hydroelectric Project during the lean season. As inked in the agreement between the Nikachhu Hydropower Project and the Power Trading Corporation of India, the electricity will be sold to India.
“We have fixed the initial tariff of about 3.3 per cent and then it will increase annually. So it’s a good tariff considering the present market conditions,” asserted Dasho Chhewang Rinzin.
Close to Nu 12bn is being spent on the project, which is jointly funded by the State Bank of India, the DGPC and the Asian Development Bank.
Passang, Trongsa
Edited by Pema Lhaden
