Myagdi, Dec 20: The 40-megawatt Rahughat Hydropower Project, promoted by Raghuganga Hydropower, a subsidiary of the Nepal Electricity Authority, has achieved 90 percent physical progress.

Construction of the tunnel, dam, and powerhouse structures is nearly complete, and equipment installation is in its final phase. The project is now focused on building the switchyard to connect the plant to the national grid. Project manager Raj Bisht said the structures are being finalized with a goal to begin trial production within three months, by March 2026.

“Civil, hydro, and electromechanical work is nearing completion,” Bisht said. “We have installed a 20 MW turbine for dry testing, and contractors are mobilized to start trial generation by March.”

The Indian civil contractor, Jayprakash Associates, signed a $30 million contract in November 2017 to complete the project in 45 months. Deadlines have been extended multiple times due to the COVID-19 pandemic, floods, landslides, and shortages of river-based construction materials, with the latest extension now set for March 2026.

The project site spans Raghuganga Rural Municipality–4 Dagnam and Ward 5 Jhingo Fedi, featuring a dam, a 6.27 km main tunnel, and a powerhouse at Tilkenichaur, all over 90 percent complete. Electromechanical works by Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) are ongoing, with a contract worth $1.293 million ending December 31, 2025. Most equipment has been imported and installed by BHEL.

Funded through a $67 million concessional loan from the Indian EXIM Bank and joint investment from the Nepal Electricity Authority and the government, the project follows an EPC framework. Initially stalled with the old contractor, work resumed under Jayprakash Associates in 2018.

The Rahughat plant is expected to generate 24.059 million units annually. Its output will feed into the central grid via the 220 kV Dana–Kusma double-circuit transmission line under the Kali Gandaki corridor, with four transmission towers already completed.People’s News Monitoring Service

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