The 720-megawatt Mangdechhu Hydropower Project could be earning gross revenue of Nu 7 billion annually once commissioned by early 2018. This is assuming electricity from the project is sold at Nu 2.5 a unit.
With the project seemingly well on track, officials from the authority estimate most of the geological surprises has been covered except for the remaining 5-kilometers tunneling works for the headrace tunnel.
The headrace tunnel will divert the river from the dam to the powerhouse where the turbines will be installed.
MHPA’s Managing Director, AK Mishra said more than a half of the work has been completed so far with dam concreting underway. Concreting of the dam would require 1.8 M cement bags, which the project is sourcing from Dungsam cement.
“An average 62 percent of the work has been completed so far and the project has utilized Nu 25 B. The remaining 38 percent of the work will be completed by December 2017. The project would require another Nu 20 B to complete the works,” said AK Mishra.
The project’s cost has escalated by around 38 percent. It has increased from the original Nu 28 B in 2008 to Nu 40 B in 2014. By March 2018, the project’s cost is estimated to reach Nu 45 B.
