The commissioning of the 1020-Megawatt Punatshangchhu II Hydropower Project (PHPA-II) will take one more year. This has been updated by the project officials. However, they are wary of seeing a delay if the inconsistent supply of raw materials and labour shortage caused by the covid restrictions persist.
When the construction of the PHPA-II took off way back in 2010, it was due for commission in 2017. But the project faced a few geological issues, especially during the underground execution works.
The project is also fraught with challenges mainly the labour crunch and erratic supply of construction materials, which have been aggravated by the pandemic. All these have led to the rescheduling of the commissioning date a number of times.
Today, there are more than 1,700 workers including 230 Bhutanese at the project site in Wangdue. However, the project is seeking 1,600 more workers.
Owing to this manpower understaffing, some key civil works such as the construction of the Pothead Yard house were paused for nearly a year and a half now.
These days, workers are sweating to complete the construction of the powerhouse complex and the dam sites on time. But if materials don’t arrive on time, the work might get delayed. But with restrictions on the entry of foreign workers into the country lifted last month, the project authority hopes to accelerate the work.
The project plans to bring in 150 foreign labourers from India via Gelephu soon in line with the existing protocols. As per the phase two covid management, the quarantine period for anyone coming from outside is five days.
Only after completion of the quarantine period, the labourers will be taken to the project site.
The Managing Director of the PHPA II said more than 91 per cent of the works including headrace tunnel, surge shaft and transmission lines have been completed so far.
The Punatshangchhu-II Hydropower Project, which is one of the biggest hydroelectric projects in the country, is being constructed with a budget of Nu 89.67bn.
It is being funded by the Government of India with a 30 per cent grant and the remaining 70 per cent on loan.
Once commissioned, the hydropower project is poised to generate millions of revenue for the country.
Changa Dorji, Wangdue Phodrang
Edited by Pema Lhaden
