China-funded hydropower project in Nepal produces 2 bln kWh of power

KATHMANDU, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- The Upper Marsyandi A Hydropower Project funded and operated by a Chinese company in western Nepal has produced electricity totaling two billion kilowatt hours by Wednesday, contributing its share in helping lessen the power short supply in the South Asian country.

Despite the massive earthquake in 2015, floods and landslides, and the COVID-19 pandemic, the power project has been operating steadily and supplying clean power to the grid over the years, with the accumulative generation of electricity reaching the mark of two billion kilowatt hours on the day, making a positive contribution to the relief of power shortages in Nepal, said Hou Zhong, the project manager.

The steady power supply has, in particular, helped resolve the problem of load shedding in Kathmandu, Nepal's capital, according to the project company.

The run-of-river power station located in Nepal's Lamjung district is the first project funded and constructed by PowerChina Resources Ltd. in the country under the BOOT mode, and it is the first power plant ever funded and built by a Chinese company in Nepal.

With an installed capacity of 50MW, it started construction in January 2013 and went into commercial operation in January 2017, half a year ahead of schedule. It has been contributing 317 million kilowatt hours in contracted energy annually to Nepal's national grid.

Among the other feats achieved by the power project, dividends were paid eight years ahead of schedule, and new highs were made in annual power generation and power utilization hours. As a result, PowerChina Resources Ltd. was awarded an "Excellence Certificate of Foreign Investment in Nepal" by the country's Department of Industry.

While contributing to Nepal's power generation, the project company has been implementing more than 200 projects in its execution of corporate social responsibilities over the years, covering different aspects of local livelihoods, said Hou.

On Nov. 10, while attending the 23rd annual general meeting of the Nepal-China Chamber of Commerce &Industry in Kathmandu, Nepali Vice President Nanda Bahadur Pun awarded a certificate of honor to the project company in acknowledgment of its contribution "in the field of overall development of Nepal's hydropower sector."