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Preparation to seal deal on 3 mega hydro projects with India

Deepak Bhatta

Deepak Bhatta

 |  Kathmandu

Prime Minister of Nepal Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' (left) and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ is making preparations to visit southern neighbor India.

Prime Minister Dahal will go on an official visit to India after taking the vote of confidence and expanding the Council of Ministers.  

Last Friday, the Prime Minister Dahal visited the Office of the Board of Investment, interacted with the project developers on hydro projects and showed interest in the listed projects of the hydropower.

During the interaction, Dahal, as the chairman of the investment board, instructed the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Board, Sushil Bhatt to make all preparations for a mega agreement in the hydropower sector so as to proceed with the contract immediately.

Arun III and Lower Arun Hydropower Project, Hongsi and Huaxin Cement Narayani Project, Upper Karnali Hydropower Project, Upper Marsyangdi-2 Semi Reservoir Hydropower Project, West Seti Reservoir and Seti River-6 Semi Reservoir Hydropower Project and Upper Trishuli 1 Hydropower Project were discussed druing the meeting.

Similarly, the developers of Dabur Nepal, China-Nepal Friendship Industrial Park Project, Muktinath Cable Car Project apprised Prachanda of the progress, implementation and major challenges of the project, says CEO Bhatt.

Similarly, the overall progress of the projects being developed at various stages was also discussed in the meeting, he said.

Apart from that, the Prime Minister gave special attention to the 756 megawatt Tamor reservoir hydropower project and the 480 MW Phukot Karnali hydropower project.

Following the discussion, the Prime Minister directed the Investment Board to assure all the developers that there will be necessary cooperation and coordination from the Board and the Government of Nepal for the timely completion of the projects.

Preparation to seal 3 deals during India tour

According to an official at the Board of Investment, Prime Minister Prachanda has prepared to sign agreements on three main projects during his visit to India.

They include the 756 MW Tamor Reservoir Hydropower Project, the 480 MW Phukot Karnali Hydropower Project and the transmission line through Nepal-India to Bangladesh.

Besides, Nepal is also going to propose a dedicated transmission line to Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, preparations are being made to hand over the 756 MW Tamor Reservoir Hydropower Project to the Indian company Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN Limited).

During the then Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba's visit to India last year, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the Nepal Electricity Authority and the Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam, a joint venture of the Central Government of India and the Government of Himachal Pradesh, to jointly construct the Arun-IV semi-reservoir hydropower project at Sankhuwasabha.

Similarly, during the upcoming visit, there is a possibility that an agreement will be reached to advance the 480 MW Fukot Karnali hydropower project.

He said, "Preparations are already underway to give Phukot Karnali to the Indian company NHPC Limited." An agreement may be reached during the Prime Minister's upcoming visit to India.

This company has already got the responsibility of developing 750 MW West Seti and 450 MW Seti River 6 hydropower projects.



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