Floods, landslides have disrupted nearly 1,000 MW of power output: Energy Minister Shrestha

Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Birajbhakta Shrestha has said that this year's floods and landslides have disrupted nearly 1,000 megawatts of production in the national power system. Speaking to reporters at Singha Durbar on Monday, he said the floods and landslides had damaged transmission and distribution infrastructure along with hydropower projects, affecting both power generation and supply.

According to Nepal Electricity Authority Executive Director Dirghayu Kumar Shrestha, 620 megawatts of electricity remain outside the national system due to the Asoj 9 floods and landslides and the Bhotekoshi flood of Bhadau 10. The Authority said the continuous rainfall since Asoj 9 has shut down some hydropower generation stations, while the transmission and distribution system has also been affected.

According to the Authority, it will take 10 days for the Rahughat hydropower project to resume operation.

The flooding in the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers on Bhadau 10 swept away the 220 kV hub of Upper Trishuli 3B. Preliminary estimates put the damage to the Authority's hydropower projects from that flood at Rs 74 billion.