Kimathanga, June 3: The breakthrough of main tunnel of the 900 megawatt Arun III hydropower project under construction in Sankhuwasabha will be carried out on Tuesday.
Chief District Officer Dhruv Bahadur Khadka informed that Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ will observe the breakthrough ceremony. The developer of the hydroelectricity is Indian state-owned Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN) company.
Nearly 70 percent of the project has been completed. It has been decided that Prime Minister Dahal will observe Arun III’s ‘Dam site’ and ‘Powerhouse’ from the helicopter. The main tunnel of the project Makalu-5 is 11.837 km from Amrang in Faxinda to Chichila Rural Municipality-3 Diding Pukhuwa Powerhouse.
If there are no obstacles in the project, the project will be completed within one year. It is stipulated in the Project Development Agreement (PDA) that the local people will get shares only after the project is completed. It is mentioned in the PDA that shares will be given to locals within one year of the start of commercial production from the project.
Nepal will get 21 percent free electricity from the project. The project estimated to cost around Rs 1 Kharba. It is said that there will be financial benefits for Nepal of more than Rs 3 Kharba under various headings.
Directly affected families will receive up to 30 units of electricity per month after the generation of electricity. It is mentioned in the PDA that the project will be handed over to the Government of Nepal after 25 years of completion. Four thousand workers including Nepalis and Indians are working in Arun III hydropower project.
