Hydro-Consult Engineering Limited reported on LinkedIn that the 86 MW Solu Khola (Dudhkoshi) Hydroelectric Project in Nepal has been completed and connected to the national grid.
The run-of-river project is located at the confluence of the Solu and Dudhkoshi rivers about 81 miles southeast of Kathmandu. The project’s major structures include a diversion weir, under sluice, intake, gravel trap, approach tunnel, underground settling basin, headrace tunnel, surge shaft, underground inclined pressure shaft and horizontal penstock pipe, semi-surface powerhouse and surface tailrace channel. Solu Khola has a gross head of 613.2 m. The powerhouse contains three vertical-axis Pelton turbine-generator units. The powerhouse is anticipated to produce 520.2 GWh of mean annual energy annually.
Hydro-Consult Engineering said this is the largest hydropower project developed by independent power producers in Nepal, which is now connected to the national grid. The project is owned by Sahas Urja Ltd.
Hydro-Consult Engineering was a contractor on the project and involved in the detailed engineering design and construction management and supervision, providing comprehensive consulting services from project planning to implementation, according to the LinkedIn post.
Energy generated from the project is transmitted via Nepal Electricity Authority’s Tinla substation at Lammane and grid-connected to the Integrated Nepal Power System.
In June 2017, Sahas Urja awarded Italian company CMC Ravenna a US$184 million contract to construct Solu Khola (Dudhkoshi). At that time, Hydro Review reported that an 11-bank consortium, led by Nepal Investment Bank, would provide loans for 73% of the expected cost and the remaining 27% would be in the form of equity.
