Nepal Infrastructure 
KATHMANDU: The 14.3-megawatt UpperMailung hydropower project in Rasuwa has reached the final stage of construction with 85 percent of work completed so far. This project’s construction activities were badly affected during the first and second waves of the Covid-19 pandemic. Projectmanager Kangra Prasain said that 85 percent of the civil works have been completed up to the last week of July.
According to him, the lining work has been completed in the 1.8 km main tunnel of the project. “We have yet to complete400 meters more lining in the main tunnel,” said Prasain. A 1 km long penstock pipe has been installed in the project where 800 meters of pipelines are still to be laid. The installation of electromechanical equipment in the power plant is going on in full swing. Prasai said that it will take a maximum of 3 months to complete the installation of equipment at the power plant. He said that they are working to complete the rest of the civil work and start testing by filling the structure of the project with water by November. The generated electricity from the project will be connected to Trishuli-3 ‘B’ hub substation.
The project developer -Mathillo Mailung Jalvityut Company got construction permission from the Department of Electricity Development (DoED) and has proceeded with Transmission Line (TL) work. The company, however, said that the work of the TL did not move ahead as the project could get approval for tree-cutting in the forest area. The project has to build 28 tower foundations along the TL route. This project should have been completed and put into operation by now. However, local obstacles, Covid-19, and the pandemic along with other reasons pushed back the generation date. The total cost of the project is estimated at Rs 2.5 billion with a 75 percent loan and 25 percent equity investment.
