Construction has officially commenced on the 16-megawatt Machha Khola Hydropower Project in Ward No. 5 of Dharche Rural Municipality, Gorkha district.
The project, being developed by Water Energy Development Pvt. Ltd., is estimated to cost around Rs 3 billion. Initial works are already underway, with tunnel excavation in progress. According to project officials, approximately 70 meters of tunnel has been excavated so far, and the project is targeted for completion within 30 months.
Financing for the project will be arranged through a consortium of banks led by the Agriculture Development Bank.
Under the project design, a dam is being constructed at Reshe Faat, from where water will be diverted through a 3-kilometer tunnel to a powerhouse near Machha Khola Bazaar for electricity generation.
The electricity produced will be transmitted through a 22-kilometer transmission line to the Borang Substation in Dhading, where it will be integrated into the national grid.
The developer has already acquired around 13 ropani of private land for the project, while compensation procedures for certain government-owned land are currently underway.
Project officials stated that the hydropower scheme is expected to strengthen local energy supply and contribute to the expansion of Nepal’s national transmission network once completed.
