44 MW Bhotekoshi-1 Hydropower Project Tunnel Breakthrough Completed

Dinesh Dulal | Bhadra 9 | Hindi (Tatopani) — The tunnel breakthrough of the
under-construction 44-megawatt capacity Bhotekoshi-1 Hydropower Project, located at the northern border checkpoint Tatopani, has been completed.

The tunnel breakthrough took place on Monday for the Bhotekoshi-1 Hydropower Project, which is being built in Bhotekoshi Rural Municipality of Sindhupalchok with private sector investment. The dam is located in Ward no. 3 and 4 of the of bhotekoshi rural municipality in Hindi, while the powerhouse is in Ward no. 5 Chaku. The project is being constructed with investment from Electro Power Company.

Chief of the District Coordination Committee, Bal Krishna Shrestha, and Chairperson of Bhotekoshi Rural Municipality, Pasang Nurbu Sherpa, jointly switched on the system to inaugurate the breakthrough. The program to switch on and inaugurate the 2,638-meter-long tunnel was held at the project site on Monday.

With an investment of approximately 8 billion rupees, the tunnel has a width and height of 5.2 meters each. Tunnel construction had started in Falgun 2080 (February/March 2024). According to Electro Power Chairman Mohan Bikram Karki, it will take another 6 to 8 months to finish the tunnel, which is being constructed by Bhugol Infrastructure Company.

He mentioned that electricity generation is expected to begin by coming Falgun (February/March 2026). Chairman Karki also said that about 80% of the physical construction work of the project, which started before a year and a half ago, has been completed. “Some civil works are still pending. As for electro-mechanical works, they haven’t started yet but will begin soon,” he added.

He further mentioned that the project aims to connect the generated electricity to the national transmission line within the next seven months. Due to the rapid progress of construction, the project is expected to be one of the few hydropower projects in Sindhupalchok district to be completed ahead of schedule.

Since the project will add more electricity to the national grid, it is expected to contribute to energy security.