The Independent Power Producers' Association, Nepal (IPPAN), has urged the government to take immediate steps to restore electricity infrastructure damaged by last week’s devastating flood that entered Nepal from Tibet via the Lhende River into the Trishuli River.

In a press release issued on Thursday, IPPAN called on the government to facilitate policy and procedural measures necessary for the reconstruction of damaged structures, resumption of power generation and transmission, and the implementation of preventive steps to mitigate future risks.

According to IPPAN, the disaster caused damage to over ten hydropower projects — including those under construction — in the Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts. As a result, projects with a combined installed capacity of around 250 megawatts have been shut down, while the construction of projects totaling more than 350 megawatts has been suspended.

IPPAN President Ganesh Karki said that operational hydropower projects currently offline include the 111-megawatt Rasuwagadhi Hydropower Project, 60-megawatt Trishuli-3A, 25-megawatt Trishuli Hydropower Station, 22-megawatt Chilime Hydropower Project, 14-megawatt Upper Mailung, 14-megawatt Devighat Hydropower Project, and the 5-megawatt Mailung Khola Hydropower Project.

Similarly, construction has been halted on major projects such as the 216-megawatt Upper Trishuli-1, 100-megawatt Super Trishuli, and 37-megawatt Trishuli-3B Hydropower Project, IPPAN stated. -- RSS