The pre-construction works for the 1,125-MW Dorjilung Hydropower Project kicked off today with ground-breaking ceremonies held at Kurizampa and Rewan in Monggar. Major works under this phase include the construction of tunnels.
The Monggar Lam Neten presided over the ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of a cable access tunnel, including connection tunnels and a construction tunnel at Kurizampa, which will be linked to the head race tunnel. These tunnels will carry power and communications cables and provide access to workers.
The package, worth more than Nu 472 M, is expected to be completed within 10 months. Rigsar Construction Private Limited will execute the work.
The Dorjilung Hydropower Project will feature the largest dam ever built in the country, located at Rewan, near Autsho, in Lhuntse. From there, water will flow through a 15-kilometre-long headrace tunnel, the longest in the country, to the underground powerhouse near Lingmithang.
“The powerhouse will be at Lingmethang, and in it there are 6 units or 6 turbines. Each turbine will generate over 187MW of electricity, in total the six units will generate 1,125 MW of electricity,” said Tempa, the Executive Engineer for the Design and Engineering Division of Dorjilung Hydropower Project.
Meanwhile, the ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of diversion tunnels at Rewan, near Autsho in Lhuntse, was presided over by Dorji Lopon and senior monks of the Lhuentse Rabdey.
The contract, worth Nu 2.3bn was awarded to Patel Engineering Limited of India, with works expected to be completed in 10 months.
Construction of roads and bridges to the project site is also ongoing simultaneously.
The Dorjilung Hydropower Project is being developed under a public-private partnership model between the Druk Green Power Corporation and Tata Power, India.
The project, estimated to cost around USD 1.7bn, roughly Nu 161bn, is expected to be completed by 2031.
Namgay Wangchuk, Monggar
Edited by Phub Gyem
