Upper Karnali Hydro-electric Project:
The Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd. (IREDA) has entered into a Joint Venture Agreement with SJVN Ltd., GMR Energy Ltd., and Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) for the development of the 900 MW Upper Karnali Hydro-electric Project in Nepal.
- It is a 900 MW run-of-the-river hydropower project being developed on the Karnali River in Nepal.
- The project will supply power to Nepal, India, and Bangladesh for a contracted period of 25 years.
- The project is being developed by GMR Upper Karnali Hydro Power Limited (GUKHL), a subsidiary of GMR Group India, Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), and SJVN Green Energy.
- The project is being developed on a build-own-operate-transfer (BOOT) basis.
- GUKHL and NEA are currently owning the project, having ownership stakes of 73% and 27%, respectively.
- It is estimated to generate 3,466 million units of electricity while offsetting approximately two million tons of greenhouse gas emissions a year.
- It will feature a concrete gravity dam, headrace tunnels, a fish pass, feeder tunnels, surge and pressure shafts, and silt flushing tunnels.
- The project consists of 8 turbines, each with 112.5 MW nameplate capacity.
- The project construction is expected to commence from 2027. Subsequent to that it will enter into commercial operation by 2031.
