Process started for construction of Semi-reservoir Kimathanka Arun Hydropower Project

Sankhuwasabha: The process has been forwarded for the construction of the Kimathanka Arun Hydroelectricity Project.

The 454-megawatts-capacity semi-reservoir type project is based in the Sankhuwasabha district. The Power Production Company under the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation has forwarded the process for preparing the environmental impact assessment report for the project.

The proposed Kimathanka Arun Hydro Electric Project (KAHEP) is a PRoR Project that lies on the northernmost of the Arun River at Kimathanka, Sankhuwasabha district. Proposed KAHEP utilizes the water from the Arun River which is a snow-fed river originating from Yebokanjilala Glacier on Mount Xixabangma, Tibet at 8012MASL.

Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA)’s subsidiary NEA Engineering Company has been working as the consultant of this project. The project is located near Chhumsur village at Bhotkhola Rural Municipality-2.

The Arun river is known as the ‘hydro hub’ in view of the several hydropower projects being developed in this river.

According to the Company, a dam would be constructed across the Arun river. It will be 140 metres high from the foundation and 70 metres high from the river surface. The river water would be accumulated to form a lake covering an area of 0.350 kilometres square and holding 10.3 million cubic metres of water. The powerhouse would be built at Pungmuchhi, some 500 metres below Liham village.

Around 5,918 metres long underground headrace tunnel with a diameter of eight metres would be constructed. The design flow of water is about 143 cubic metres per second. A total head of about 379.52 metres would be used.

The project will generate around 2,655.12 gigawatts per hour of power annually.

The Indian company, Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN) is developing the 900 MW capacity Arun Third project in the Arun river itself. Similarly, the same company has taken up the responsibility of constructing the Lower Arun Hydropower Project. NEA and SJVN are also jointly undertaking the Arun Fourth Hydropower Project.

The process has also been taken ahead for the development of the 1,100 megawatts capacity Upper Arun Project.  NEA has been making necessary preparations for the financial management of this project by establishing a subsidiary company.

Hydroelectricity Development Company Limited has internally initiated the financial management.

The Kimathanka Arun Project is also another project being developed in the Arun river, which has the sobriquet as the ‘energy river’.