The project promoter, Kaligandaki Gorge Hydropower Pvt. Ltd., kicked off the construction phase on Monday by breaking ground on the project's tunnel at Bhalebas, Annapurna Rural Municipality-4. According to Project Director Raman Singh, the undertaking is slated for completion within the next four years.
The run-of-the-river hydropower project features several key engineering components. The project will feature a 5.6-kilometer-long tunnel alongside a 1-kilometer penstock pipeline. A barrage will be constructed at Ghansama (Thasang Rural Municipality-4), while the powerhouse will be situated at Gharap (Annapurna Rural Municipality-4). The height of the outlet from the powerhouse will stand at 480 meters.
Civil contractor South Asian Infrastructure has already mobilized its teams and equipment to the respective construction sites.
Preparations are nearing their final stages for essential site infrastructure, including residential buildings, offices for the promoter and contractors, a Nepali Army camp, and a secure explosive devices storage facility.
To facilitate smooth logistics, an 8-kilometer access road has already been built, and efforts are currently underway to install a bailey bridge at Gadpar. Additionally, a 1-kilometer-long, 220-kV transmission line stretching from Gharap to Dana has already been constructed to connect the generated electricity directly into Nepal's central power grid.
The ambitious project is estimated to cost Rs 40 billion. Financing is being secured through a consortium of commercial banks led by Global IME Bank, with co-financing from Laxmi Sunrise Bank, Himalayan Bank, and Prabhu Bank.
In alignment with local development policies, residents of the project-affected areas will be entitled to a 10 percent share allocation in the hydropower project.
