Efforts begin to resume power production from Upper Tamakoshi

KATHMANDU: Efforts have been initiated to quickly resume electricity production from the Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Plant, Nepal’s largest hydropower facility with a capacity of 456 MW. Recent landslides triggered by continuous rainfall on Friday and Saturday caused significant damage to the dam infrastructure at Lamabagar in Bigu Rural Municipality-1, Dolakha.

The landslides have severely impacted the control room, sand-settling pond (desander), and the underground culvert that carries water from the dam to the desander. The control room and its equipment have been completely destroyed. Additionally, the two desanding ponds are filled with silt, gravel, and large rocks, with an estimated 75,000 cubic meters of debris in each pond.

The damage resulted from landslides falling from higher ground above these structures. Tragically, four people, including two employees and two security personnel, lost their lives in the incident. The risk remains as debris and rocks continue to flow from upstream into the Khare River.

Electricity generation was halted at 7 p.m. on Friday due to the rising water levels in the Tamakoshi River, and the dam gates were fully opened to prevent further damage. However, the extent of the damage to the culvert between the dam and desander is yet to be fully determined. The halt in power production has led to a daily revenue loss of NPR 40 million for the Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Company.

On Tuesday, a team led by State Minister for Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation, Purna Bahadur Tamang, along with Secretary Suresh Acharya and Kulman Ghising, Executive Director of the Nepal Electricity Authority, visited the site to assess the damage caused by the landslide. The team discussed repair options and restoration plans with experts and company management. The insurance surveyors from the National Insurance Corporation, which insured the hydropower plant’s assets, also joined the visit.

Minister Tamang emphasized the urgent need to restart electricity production as the closure of the Upper Tamakoshi plant is causing significant losses to the entire nation. He assured that the ministry is ready to provide necessary support and facilitate the restoration process.

Kulman Ghising, who also serves as the chairman of the promoter company Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Ltd, confirmed that the landslide has caused extensive damage to the control room, desander, and culvert. He highlighted that the Khare River continues to pose a risk, with large boulders visible upstream. Therefore, a comprehensive geological survey using LiDAR technology will be conducted to assess the area’s overall risk.

Ghising noted, “Only after removing the debris from the desander can we fully assess the damage. Our immediate priority is to clear the rocks and silt.”

The closure of Nepal’s largest power plant has created internal challenges in electricity supply and severely affected electricity exports during the monsoon season. If the plant cannot resume operation soon, managing power supply and demand during winter will be challenging. The company is taking every possible measure to resume operations quickly.

Chief Executive Officer Mohan Prasad Gautam shared that the expert team has provided several suggestions for restoring the plant, and repair work has already begun based on these recommendations. Efforts to restore the 11 kV power line from Gonggar to the dam and install power transformers and cables from the Nepal Electricity Authority are underway.

Gautam also mentioned that about 100 meters of the access road near Kavre Cliff have collapsed, making travel to the dam site difficult.