Chinese company awarded DPR preparation task of Upper Arun

Ramesh Lamsal
KATHMANDU, Jan 22: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) and Changjiang Institute of Survey Planning Design and Research (CISPDR) have signed a deal for the preparation of detail project report (DPR) of the Upper Arun Hydropower Project.

Chief of Upper Arun Hydropower Project Bishow Dhoj Joshi on behalf of the NEA and CISPDR’s Director Jhang Xinqiang signed the agreement.

According to Project Chief Joshi, the CISPDR shall immediately begin the DPR preparation task. And, the report should be prepared within two years and the cost of the DPR would cost Rs 1.31 billion.

For the DPR preparations, the World Bank has provided Rs 2 billion in assistance to the Government of Nepal. The issue of Upper Arun was discussed during then Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s visit to the People’s Republic of China.

The Government of Nepal has also asked the Government of China for support to develop the project. The project with the capacity of 335 Megawatt lies in Makalu Barun National Park in Sankhuwasabha district. But, Project Chief Joshi said that the project capacity could increase upto 700 megawatt thanks to technological advancement.

NEA Spokesperson Prabal Adhikari expressed the confidence that the much-talked about project would advance with the current progress.

The NEA is of the plan to make the project a reservoir-based one. Adhikari added that total cost of the project would be finalized after the DPR but the tentative cost estimation is around Rs 53.93 billion.