Er.energyNP@Gmail.com

Power generation at four hydropower projects, including Arun Kabeli Power Limited’s Kabeli “B-1” project, has come to a halt due to floods in the Kabeli and Indrawati rivers caused by heavy rainfall on Friday night. The floods damaged the projects’ infrastructure, disrupting electricity production.

Currently, power generation has stopped at two projects built on the Kabeli River, which flows along the border of Taplejung and Panchthar districts, and two other projects on the Indrawati River. The Indrawati is another river flowing along the same district boundary.

The 25-megawatt Kabeli “B-1” hydropower project, operated by Arun Kabeli Power Limited, has suspended production. According to company employee Lekhraj Nyaupane, flooding damaged structures including the project’s intake, forcing operations to shut down.

Similarly, electricity generation from the 10-megawatt cascade hydropower project associated with Kabeli “B-1” has also stopped, Nyaupane said.

He explained that rocks, mud, silt, and logs carried by the floodwaters accumulated around the dam and intake area of the Kabeli B-1 project, causing the shutdown. After water levels in the river began to decrease on Saturday afternoon, work started to clear debris from the intake area.

According to him, cleaning the intake and repairing possible damage to other structures may take up to two weeks before the project can resume operations.

Likewise, electricity generation at the 9.9-megawatt Iwa Khola Hydropower Project, operated by Ridi Hydropower Limited, has also been halted. The project stated that floodwaters caused minor damage to the dam site and pipeline. According to project officials, rebuilding the damaged infrastructure and resuming operations could take several months.

Similarly, the 9.7-megawatt project developed by Iwa Hydropower Limited on the Indrawati River has also ceased production.

According to company employee Mausam Seling, the flood caused significant damage to the project. Structures including the dam site, intake, pipeline, and powerhouse were affected.

Another employee of Iwa Hydropower, Khem Nyaupane, said that severe damage to the project’s main structures, including the pipeline and powerhouse, means it will take a long time before operations can resume.

The project developers stated that it will take time to fully assess the financial losses caused by the flood damage to the hydropower facilities.