Upper Karnali Hydropower Project

28°55′23″N 81°28′20″E / 28.92306°N 81.47222°E / 28.92306; 81.47222StatusProposedConstruction beganunknownOpening date2024 (est.)Owner(s)Nepal Electricity AuthorityDam and spillwaysType of damGravityImpoundsKarnali RiverHeight64 m (210 ft)Length207 m (679 ft)ReservoirSurface area1.96 km²Upper Karnali Hydropower StationCoordinates28°54′02″N 81°26′40″E / 28.90056°N 81.44444°E / 28.90056; 81.44444Commission date2024 (est.)TypeRun-of-the-riverHydraulic head159.26 m (522.5 ft)Turbines8 x 112.5 MW Francis-typeInstalled capacity900 MW

The Upper Karnali Storage Hydropower Project is a proposed run-of-the-river hydroelectric plant on the Karnali river in Nepal. It will have an installed capacity of 900 MW, making it the largest hydropower plant in Nepal when achieved.^[1] However, most of the generated power is set to be exported to both Bangladesh (about 500 MW) and India (another 292 MW), via a 400 kV double circuit transmission line, with the only remaining 108 MW of total power dedicated to local consumption.^[2]

First planned in the 1990s as a smaller-scale 240 MW facility, the current 900 MW design was approved in 2008. A much larger 4,180 MW generation eventuality was identified on the same site during the feasibility studies, but this option was not selected.^[3] As of February 2020, the Power Purchase Agreement was hoped to be signed within 3 months, which might give a boost to the long-delayed project.^[4]

The expected cost of the dam is $1.5 Billion, partly funded by the Asian Development Bank, and its construction should employ an estimated 3,000 workers during 5 years.^[2]

References

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