Silent Feature

Upper Mewa Khola A Hydropower Project is situated in Taplejung District, Eastern Development
Region (Now Province-1). Project area lies between 270 32’ 32” N- 270 30 ’30” N latitude and 870
38’ 13” E - 870 36’ 56” E longitudes. Till date the project is not connected with road. From
Kathmandu, the nearest road head is about 701 km (440 km black topped road from Kathmandu
to Birtamode, 150 km black topped road from Birtamode to Phidim bazaar, 76 km black topped
road from Phidim bazaar to Banende of Taplejung, 10 km earthen road to Tamor Mewa dovan,
27 km earthen road to Phungphunge. The power is located about 500m from Phungphunge. From
powerhouse about 8 km road is to be constructed by the project to reach headworks and other
component of the project.
The project component lies on and along the left bank of Mewa River. The headworks
arrangement lies in Chonjunma village whereas, the proposed powerhouse is located along the
left bank of Mewa River in Dalaicha village. The Mewa River is a tributary of Tamor River, which
originates from the Himalayan range and flows from north to south, to join the Tamor River.
Many small rivers and seasonal streams contribute flows to the Mewa River. Palung, Siwa and
Lowa are the major tributaries of Mewa River.
Proposed headworks site of Upper Mewa Khola A Hydropower Project lies at an elevation of 1742
masl. Catchment area of the project at the intake site is 294.22 km2. The underground
powerhouse of the project is at an elevation of 1455 masl. Design discharge of the project
corresponding to 45% exceedance flow is 13.50 m3/s. Design of the diversion weir and the
headworks has been carried out considering 100 years return flood of 644.93 m3/s.
Installed capacity of the Upper Mewa Khola A Hydropower Project is 31.92 MW. This scheme
comprises of 27 m long ogee shaped concrete weir with crest elevation at 1747 masl which will
divert the design discharge to the intake on the left bank of the River. An intake hopper having
width 3.5 meters has been provided. The sluiceway 3.5m width & 3.0m high is provided. Settling
basin of the plant is located after the 71.5m long approach Tunnel on the left bank of Mewa
Khola. It is an underground type. It has two bays each having 80.00 length and width 8.5 m.
2597 m long headrace tunnel having 3.5 m finished diameter, 945.20 m long 2.5m dia Headrace
Pipe and 490 m long, 2.2 m diameter penstock pipe are the main water conveyance system of
the project. A vertical shaft having excavated dia. of 3.5m and height of 230 m is provisioned. A
178 m long penstock tunnel finally connects the powerhouse. Three horizontal axis Francis
turbines each of 11,230 kW capacities will be installed in an underground powerhouse. 90.50 m
3
long, tailrace tunnel discharges water back to the Mewa Khola.
About 30 km (approx.) long single circuit 132 kV Transmission line is required to evacuate power from Mewa Khola A Switchyard to Proposed 220kV Dhungesangu Substation. Alternatively, the power generated from the project can be evacuated from the proposed 132kV/ 33kV Papung Sub-station.
The project will be completed at the end of FY 2025, with estimated construction period of three years. Construction power will be managed by using the nearest distribution line or by using diesel plant.
The estimated energy generation from the plant is 199.20 GWh. However, the annual energy available to sale after outage, internal consumption and transmission line losses, which is estimated as 4%, will be 191.23 GWh. Out of which 132.70 GWh is the wet energy and 58.56 GWh is the dry energy.
Cost estimate of Mewa Khola A Hydropower Project has been carried out based on 2021 price level. Major cost components are divided into Land and support, Pre-operating expenses, infrastructure works, main civil works (surface works and underground works), hydro-mechanical works and electromechanical works & transmission line works. Cost of value added tax and contingencies have also been considered in the cost estimate.