The Dudhkosi-6 hydropower project with a capacity of 171 megawatts is going to be constructed through private investment. The run-of-river (ROR) project is going to be constructed by Sagarmatha Jalabidyut Company Limited (SMJC).
The government has started the process of giving a power generation permit (license) to SMJC. After the next 35 days, the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation will issue the power generation license to SMJC.
The SMJC aims to generate electricity from the project from Mangsir (mid-November to mid-December), 2084 BS. According to the feasibility study done by the SMJC, it is estimated that the project will cost Rs 29.61 billion. There is a possibility that the cost of the project will be reduced during construction.
The project’s design contemplates a flow rate of 51.75 cubic meters per second, with a head of 376 meters. According to the company’s feasibility study, the Dudh Koshi-6 hydropower project is anticipated to generate 983.9 million units of electricity annually.
All project structures are proposed to be situated on the right bank of the Dudh Koshi River, featuring a backwater dam with a length of 35.5 meters. The power plant is set to be underground, housing three units of 58 MW each.
According to the construction company, the electricity generated by the project will be connected to the New Khimti Substation of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), which is 60 km away from the 220 kV transmission line.
The project aims to generate electricity by using the water of Dudh Koshi River flowing through Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality of Solukhumbu District of Koshi Province.
Similarly, in Dudh Koshi, NEA is currently constructing Dudh Koshi Reservoir project of 635 megawatts with an investment of Rs 200 billion.
