Lhuentse and its neighbouring eastern districts can expect a reliable power supply in a few months. The construction of the 32 MW Yungichhu Hydro Power Project is in full swing to meet its new commissioning deadline by December, this year. The project, initially supposed to be commissioned this summer, encountered a series of geological and logistical challenges, resulting in delays.
As of July, over 87 per cent of construction works have been completed, incurring the government Nu 3.5bn.
The project faced delays due to a string of challenges.
In mid-2023, multiple landslides at the tunnel entrance forced the project to be relocated to the current location, and a sudden flash flood washed away the entire headworks camp the same year.
To make matters worse, the collapse of the Kuri-Gongri Bridge obstructed the smooth transport and supply of materials like cement and steel from Samdrup Jongkhar.
Works are now in full swing. The final tasks, which include powerhouse and headworks, laying the last sections of large water pipes, installation of generator and rotor, completing the electrical wiring and control systems, pre-commissioning and testing, among others, are in progress.
With the required materials already on site and the rainy season almost over, the project team is optimistic that they can now finish the work on time.
According to Druk Green Power Corporation, the power generated from Yungichhu will be connected to the national grid, providing a reliable power supply in Lhuentse and the eastern region. The surplus power generated during the monsoon will be exported.
Namgay Wangchuk, Lhuentse
Edited by Phub Gyem
