Power to be restored in all flood-hit districts by Wednesday, Kaligandaki 'A' set to resume

The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has said power supply disrupted by floods and landslides will be restored in all affected districts by Wednesday.

NEA Executive Director Dirghayu Kumar Shrestha shared the information at a press conference on Monday. According to him, continuous rainfall since Asoj 9 knocked hydropower plants with a combined capacity of more than 1,000 MW off the system, creating a difficult situation throughout Sunday.

Power has already been restored in Myagdi, Baglung, Tanahun and Rukum East, while supply in Mustang, Pyuthan and Dolpa is expected to resume by Monday afternoon, the authority said.

Eight projects with a combined capacity of about 230 MW have been completely knocked off the system due to the floods. The NEA said hydropower plants with roughly 262 MW capacity in the Seti-Madi corridor and about 190 MW in the Marsyangdi corridor have already resumed generation.

The roughly 144 MW Kaligandaki 'A' project at Beltari in Syangja, which was shut down as a precaution after the river's flow increased, is preparing to resume production from Monday.

Seven hydropower plants in the area have been unable to transmit electricity after two towers on the Kaligandaki corridor's transmission line were damaged in the Dana-Kushma section of Myagdi. The NEA estimates it will take nearly 10 days to restart the roughly 40 MW Rahughat project, as water entered its tailrace gate, dump area and turbine floor, though the project's switchyard is already operational.