Upper Karnali Hydro-Electric Power Project

About Upper Karnali Hydro-electric Project:

• 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.
• Development status: The project construction is expected to commence from 2027. Subsequent to that it will enter into commercial operation by 2031.

Q1: Which is the highest hydro power project in India?

The Tehri Hydropower Complex in Uttarakhand is the highest hydroelectric power project in India. It is also home to India’s tallest dam, the Tehri Dam. 

Source: IREDA signs joint venture for 900 MW Upper Karnali hydro project in Nepal