Project

INTRODUCTION

Dordi Khola Hydropower Project is a Run-of-River type hydroelectric project with generating capacity of 27 MW. The project has been developed by Himalayan Power Partner Ltd. (HPPL) Kathmandu, Nepal. HPPL is promoted by IME Group and later joined by NRN Investment Ltd. to develop Dordi Khola HPP. This is the first corporate investment of Non Resident Nepalese (NRN) in Nepal.

Feasibility Study of the Project was completed in March 2010. Detail Project Report (DPR) was prepared by international consultant Entura Hydro Tasmania. Construction supervision of the project was conducted by the in-house team of HPPL with the direction of Entura Hydro Tasmania.

Location and Access

The whole project area lies in Chiti, Dhodeni and Bansar VDCs in Lamjung district in western Nepal. It is connected from Kathmandu by 170 km all weather metallic roads up to Udipur at Dumre-Beshisahar Road. A fair weather road from Udipur to Hile passes near by the headworks site (12 km).

Initial Environmental Examination (IEE)
and Land Acquisition

Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) study was completed and approved from the Ministry of Energy in September 2010. The IEE study for the 3 km transmission line from Switchyard of the project to the connecting point at Udipur hub substation was completed in 2021. The replacement land for the acquired land of Satipatal Women’s Community Forest at valve house was also done and plantation of trees has been started as per the provision in IEE study report. 

Generation License

The company acquired generation license in July 7, 2011 from the ministry of Energy for the period of 35 years including one year for Power Purchase Agreement and financial closure and another four years of construction period.

Main Physical Features

Gross Head :
Design Discharge
Installed Capacity
Total Annual Energy
Contract Energy
Water Ways
WCP (ø2.65m)
Headrace Tunnel (ø3.3m)
Penstock Pipe (ø2.3m)
Powerhouse Type
Tailrace Channel
: 212.0 m
: 15.28 m3/sec
: 27.0 MW (3×9 mw)
: 148.249 GWh
: 142.319 GWh
: 3152.55 m
: 2780.10 m
: 925 m including branch pipe
: Surface
: RCC Box 280 m

Power Evacuation

As per the connection agreement the generated power will be evacuated to Integrated Nepal Power System (INPS) through a 132 kV single circuit Transmission Line (TL) up to the proposed Udipur Hub of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA). The length of the TL is 2.8 km. However, the generated power has been evacuating through the substation of Middle Marshyangdi Power Plant as per contingency plan due to unavailability of Udipur Substation. For the evacuation of the generated power HPPL had to construct a separated bay at Middle Marshyangdi Substation by its own cost. The Udipur Substation is not yet completed.

The connection agreement with the Grid Department of NEA for the power evacuation was concluded on 2067/03/23 (July 7,2010).

Power Purchase Agreement (PPA)

The Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) between the company and Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) was concluded for the period of 34 years (including 4 years for construction) on June 15, 2012 @ NRs. 8.40/kWh for dry energy and NRs. 4.80/ kWh for wet energy and will be escalated @ 3% (compound) for nine years.

Financial Closure

Facility Agreement to provide financing NPR 3170 million for construction of the project and 99 million as a working capital has been concluded with Bank Consortium coordinated by Prime Commercial Bank Ltd. (Lead Bank). Equity investment of NPR 1060 million has been arranged from promoters and NRN Investment Limited.

Project Cost

Due to the massive earthquake occurred in April 2015, blockade at Nepal-India Border, Occurring of unexpected high floods in different seasons impacting the construction works, unexpected very poor geological condiction during the excavation of the headrace tunnel at different stretches, the estimated construction time and the project cost was overrun. The total as built cost of the Project is : NRs. 5,258 million including IDC.

Commissioning of the Project

The construction of infrastructures was started from March 2014. The major Civil construction works started from March 2015. With delay due to different circumstances, the project was sunccessfully commissioned on 30th September 2022. Since then the plant is Commercially Operating by HPPL.