Nepal Infrastructure 
KATHMANDU: Kushal Projects Nepal Pvt Ltd has been awarded the contract for the construction of the 6 MW Chauri Khola hydroelectric project. Kushal Projects, which previously only built solar power projects, got the contract for the construction of hydropower project for the first time in Nepal.
A contract agreement was signed on Wednesday between the promoter Chauri Khola Hydropower Project Pvt Ltd and Kushal Projects to construct the project on EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) model. According to the agreement, Kushal Projects will complete the construction of this project for 1.14 billion rupees.
The design of the project will be prepared in the next 2 months from the date of the agreement and the construction work will start from the coming dry season, Kushal Projects Nepal Pvt Ltd’s Chairman Prashant Tated said. He said that the project will be completed in the next one and a half years.
“Earlier, we were working only on solar power projects,” he said, “for the first time, we have taken the EPC contract for the entire work of the hydropower project. I want to assure you that we will complete the work on time with the team of hydropower experts.”
Kushal Projects has already built 37 MW solar power projects including rooftops in Nepal. This company has created an image of completing the construction of many solar power projects before the target date.
Earlier, a contract for this project was signed with Satyashahi Parinmanwar JV. Now, the Promoter Company is preparing to terminate the contract with Satyashahi Parinmanwar JV, Chairman Ramchandra Neupane said. According to him, preparations are being made to break the entire contract with Satyashahi officially.
If the previous contractor had done the work, it would have reached the power of the Chauri Khola in the national grid by now.
“However, we have now made an agreement with another construction company. I hope this company will complete the work on time,” Neupane said.
Navin Singh, the owner of the company, said that the preliminary preparations for the project, which will be started in the upcoming winter, are currently underway. According to him, work has been done on the project site such as the construction of residences, and rerouting of the river.
Singh, who previously only invested in solar power projects, has started investing in hydropower from the Chauri Khola for the first time. Singh said, there is a plan to invest in other hydropower projects in the upcoming future.
According to the schedule given by the Nepal Electricity Authority, this project should be completed and connected to the transmission system within the year 2081. Its electricity will be connected to the 33 KV Kafle substation, which will be constructed at a distance of 2 km from the powerhouse of the Project. From there, it will be taken to the Sunkosi substation via Mudhe.
The project will contribute 35.5 million units of energy to the grid annually. To Complete the project 1.20 Billion rupees cost is estimated.
In the project, a loan investment agreement has been signed under the leadership of Machhapuchhre Bank. The investment made by banks is 72 percent of the total cost. 28 percent is equity investment.
