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VOL. 28, NO. 16, Dec 26, 2008 (Poush 11 2065 B.S.) |
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CHAMELIYA HYDROPOWER PROJECT
Undue
Delay
Although the contribution of Chameliya Hydroelectricity Project will be nominal in terms of country's demand for power generation, it can bring about major transformation in the livelihood of people living in the far western region. From GDP to literacy, the project can bring all kinds of change. Even as the project has already completed over 30 percent of civil works including construction of tunnel, powerhouse sites and others, the delay in the process of decision making on selection of company to supply electromechanical, hydro-mechanical and transmission line is affecting the construction works. At a time when the government has already declared emergency in the electricity sector and agreed to install diesel power plant with the capacity of 200 MW, nobody understands the rationale behind not quickly pushing the Chameliya Hydroelectric Project, which will generate over 30 MW of power
By KESHAB POUDEL
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| Karnali River : High hope |
"As soon as I received a call from my relatives that there are enough works back home in construction site of Chameliya, I returned from Indian city of Kanpur and headed to Gandi Gad," said Bharat Thagina, a resident of Baitadi district who was waiting for a bus in Attariya, Kailali, 700 kilometers west of capital, to go to Gokuleshwor of Darchula district.
"There is a rush of people. I must be there within two days," said Thagina who worked as a laborer in Indian city of Kanpur. "If I find employment opportunity back home, my preference will be to work here."
Like hundreds of other folks from many districts of far western region, there is a sort of gold rush as everybody wants to work in the project site.
Neglected and ignored by the central authority for many years, Chameliya Hydro Electric Project is the first major project implemented in the hill of far western region.
As there are no major developmental activities going on in far western region, overwhelming population of region moved to India and other cities in Nepal for employment opportunity.
As it requires more people when the work will go on full swing, the project like Chameliya is definite to contribute to reduce the migration in the long run.
Human Development Index
Along with social change, Chameliya will also feed the power to central grid as well as enhance the power capacity of mid-western and far-western region. Prepared by Harka Gurung for Asian Development Bank, Nepal Regional Strategy for Development 2005 reveals some grim reality of Nepal.
According to the report, the total GDP for FY 1999/2000 was estimated at Rs 330 billion, or 6.4 times that of 1984/85 in nominal terms. In regional distribution, the central development region had the lion's share with 47.2 percent while the shares of other regions were quite less - 20.4 percent for eastern, 16.5 for the western, 9 for the mid western and 6.8 percent for the far western development region.
The central development region leads with more than half of the total hydropower generation. The next region with such infrastructure is the western development region. The hydropower generation of east, mid-west and far-west is only 5 percent. In terms of generation, far west generates 16,000 kW or 0.3 percent and mid-west generates 13985 kW or 2.5 percent and while eastern region generates 11794 kW or 2.7 percent.
With the completion of hydropower projects like Chameliya, the population of far western region will have power to light their bulb, which will, in turn, increase the literacy rate, health facilities and unleash many other benefits.
According to Census of 2001, the far western region has population of 211330 (9.47) of total population and literacy is just over 41.7 percent out of over 48.6 percent of Nepal. According to Nepal Human Development Report, which is prepared by UNDP, out of US$ 1310 GDP per capita (PPP US$), far western region has just US$ 1079.
As such, Chameliya Hydroelectric Project has the potential of bringing in positive changes in the far western region, particularly, in the five remote hilly districts, which will be linked with each other with road and transmission line.
With the high level of poverty and low investment in development sector, Nepal's far western region is far behind than three other eastern regions. Following the completion of Mahakali Irrigation Project few years ago, there was no major infrastructure project underway in far west.
Construction on Progress
As the work of civil construction began, more than 1000 local people, who were, otherwise, compelled to go to India and other urban areas of Nepal for their butter and bread, found employment opportunity nearby their homes.
The volume of work force is certain increase after the construction goes on full swing. This will inject the money in the local economy. Isolated from rest of the country, Baitadi and Darchula districts in the far west region, 900 miles west of Nepal did not have direct road link with the rest of the country till a few years ago. Thanks to the construction of road to Chameliya, now many villages of Baitadi and Darchula are linked to Nepal's east-west high way. The road from Baitadi to Darchula is now in operation due to the project. The project has already constructed 18 kilometer access road from Gokuleshwor, the headway point of Darchula road, to Gandi Gad of Kotpetara VDC.
Situated in Darchula district, far-western hilly district, Chamelia Hydropower project has already brought some benefits to the local population. The construction of road help them carry food stuffs from plain of south to food deficit districts of north. The completion of construction works for 33 kV Transmission line from Baitadi to Balanch and 33 kV and 11 kV substations at Balanch power house site is in progress. After the completion, the project will help to start rural electrification in the Darchula and Baitadi districts.
If everything goes smoothly as scheduled, Chameliya Hydropower Project will complete by 2011 producing much needed 30 MW power to Nepal's national grid.
But, the question is will it move forward and complete by time? As the government has recently declared a emergency in Power and decided to bring many new projects, one can expect that the stalled selection process of Chameliya will move in fast pace.
"The project will complete on time. Construction work is going very smoothly," said Keshab Raj Bhatta, Project director of Chameliya Hydropower Project. "The decision has already been taken about the appointment of Korean consultant and the tender process for transmission line and supplying of electro-mechanical and Hydro-mechanical is in final stage. Our higher management will take all the decision in accordance with the rules and regulations and in transparent manner."
Awarded to China Gezhouba Water and Power Group Company Ltd (CGGC), the main civil construction work has started since February 2007 and about 30 percent work has already been completed. According to the project, construction of 18 kilometer long access road has been completed and local transportation services are already in operation. The construction of camp facilities is about 30 percent complete.
Under an agreement between the governments of Nepal and Korea, the soft loan provided by Economic Development Cooperation Fund Korea (EDCF) will be used to construct 133 KM long 132 kilo volt transmission line from Chameliya of Darchula district to Attariya of Kailali. The transmission line will cross all five districts of Seti and Mahakali zone of far western region. The US$ 45 million soft loan provided by Korean government is also used to buy hydro-mechanical and electro-mechanical components of Chameliya Project.
Preliminarily identified in 1991 by NEA, the project was given priority by Japanese International Cooperation Agency in its Master Plan Study of Upper Karnali and Mahakali basin in 1993. In 1996, feasibility study of the project (30 MW) was carried out by Nepal Industrial Development Corporation through METCON, a local consultant utilizing the South Asian Development Fund.
In 1997, NEA made review study of Feasibility Study Report and upgraded feasibility study. Some even questioned the rationale behind huge investment in Chameliya as there is possibility of lot of technical loss when it supplies power though 131 kilometer long transmission line. However, in terms of regional balance, this project is important to balance the disparities of investment.
"This project will bring all round change in the far western region particularly hilly region. The electricity generated by this project will also be used during the construction period of West Seti and Pancheswor," said Kirti Bahadur Chanda, former managing director of NEA.
Korea's Involvement
Korea has been involved in the project since 2001 when it supported the detailed study. Korea is the major financier of the project. In December 2001, detailed design and tender documents preparation work had been completed by Hyundai Engineering Co. Ltd and Korea Water Resources Cooperation, a consortium consulting agency under the grant assistance of Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) in collaboration with NEA.
As per the contract made between the government of Korea and government of Nepal, Economic Development Cooperation Fund Korea (EDCF) shall provide a soft loan of US$ 45 million to finance the foreign currency component towards the cost of consulting services, Electro-Mechanical Hydro-Mechanical and Transmission line.
For procurement Service and Equipment Supervision for Electro-Mechanical and Hydro mechanical equipment, Korean consulting firms were invited to participate and the selection of the consulting firms will be finalized in near future.
Although there are certain hindrances, the evaluation process of tender for the Electro-mechanical, hydro-mechanical and Transmission line works are in progress. The whole process for awarding the contract and commencement of the work is scheduled to be completed by this month.
With the total cost of 99.9 million dollars, the electricity generated by the project will be linked through 132 kV/ 131 kilometer long transmission line to Attariya in Kailali. It will produce 184.21 GWh annual energy. Specific energy cost will be 4.91 UC cent kWh.
At a time when the country's all resources are diverted to the eastern, central and western region, this is the first big hydropower project constructed in impoverished far western region. The project will serve to transform the livelihood of thousands of people of the region.
