Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower History

In 1985 the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA); while preparing a Master plan of the Koshi Basin Water Resources Development, had identified a ‘TA-6’ project close to the existing project site of the Upper Tamakoshi Hydroelectric Project. During a study of the Himalayan region in 1999, an Austrian, Mr. Christian Ulhar carried out pre-feasibility studies and concluded that the project would have an installed capacity of 120 MW. Because of the competitively low project cost and its overall attractiveness, NEA conducted the first stage detailed feasibility study in 2001 mobilizing their own physical, financial and human resources. This study showed that the new feature of the project, when installed, would have a capacity of 250 MW and an annual average energy generation of 1570 GWh, at a cost of US$ 1100 per KW. During the study, they completed a detailed engineering design of a 28.5 km long access road and seven different bridges. The study was completed in 2003. With the financial and environmental attractiveness of the project, it was recommended for the second phase of the Detailed Feasibility study, as per international standards. Accordingly, with financial assistance from the Government of Norway, the Norwegian consultant Norconsult AS completed a Bankable Detailed Design Feasibility Study in May 2005. This study presents the installed capacity of the project at 309 MW, with an annual average generation of 1737 GWh of energy. After establishing the Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Company Limited as a subsidiary company of the Nepal Electricity Authority in 2006, the company carried out the detailed design of the Project and implemented the Project at the installed capacity of the project of 456 MW, with an annual average generation of 2281 GWh of energy.