Kathmandu – The 37.5 MW Chimkhola–Mangale–Rahughat Hydropower Project, located in Raghuganga Rural Municipality, has officially begun trial electricity generation.

Developed by Tudi Power Company Limited, the project started producing power after completing tests of key physical components, including the dam, desilting basin (descender), and tunnel system. According to Indra Dhakal, a representative of Tudi Power, the project will be connected to the national transmission system following the successful completion of its testing phase, which is expected to take around 15 days.

The project's infrastructure includes a dam and a water retention pond measuring 110 meters long, 8 meters high, and 30 meters wide, built in Bandi, Raghuganga-8. Water is channeled from the dam through a 5-kilometer-long tunnel, of which 300 meters are underground, to a powerhouse located at Bagar in Chimkhola, Raghuganga-7, via a 950-meter-long penstock pipeline, explained Resident Engineer Prakash Timilsina.

The tunnel outlet from the powerhouse has a vertical drop of 360 meters. Civil works for the project, which began in Mangsir 2077 BS, were carried out by Ramechhap Sherpa and South Asian Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd. The tunnel was excavated simultaneously from four different points.

Machhapuchhre, BMEW Nepal Hydromechanical, and Everest Hydro Electromechanical are responsible for the hydromechanical and electromechanical works.

A 14-kilometer-long 220 kV transmission line has been constructed to connect the powerhouse to a switchyard situated within the Rahughat Hydropower Project premises at Tilkenichour, Raghuganga-3. This line includes 49 transmission towers. The electricity generated by the plant will be integrated into the 220 kV Dana–Kushma transmission line using the loop-in, loop-out (LILO) method.

Tudi Power is also developing the 48.5 MW Upper Rahughat Hydropower Project, with a total investment of Rs 14 billion for both Upper Rahughat and Chimkhola–Mangale–Rahughat. The Upper Rahughat project is now in its final construction phase.

Chimkhola–Mangale–Rahughat holds the distinction of being the first hydropower plant completed in the Rahughat basin. Other projects nearing completion in the region include the 40 MW Rahughat, 21.3 MW Thulokhola, and 22.3 MW Upper Thulokhola Hydropower Projects, all located along the Rahughat River.

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Image Source : Urjasanchar