Engineering Services Business Group comprising of four departments, namely, Project Development Department, Environmental and Social Studies Department, Soil Rock and Concrete Laboratory and NEA Training Center Department is one of the five business groups of NEA. The Business Group also oversees the management of Electromechanical Design Division, Concrete Pole Plants and Central Workshop. With over two decades of experience in the field of hydropower development, this Business Group has been providing services to clients inside and outside of NEA on all technical works related to study and implementation of hydropower projects. Various activities carried out during FY 2007/08 by different departments and wings under this Business Group are summarized below.

Project Development Department

Project Development Department performs activities related to project studies, consulting services and construction supervision of hydroelectric projects. The Department is involved in the development of various hydroelectric projects under NEA. A brief description of such projects and their status are given below:

Upper Trishuli 3-A Hydroelectric Project

Upper Trishuli 3-A Hydroelectric Project is a run-of-river project with 4 km long headrace tunnel and an underground powerhouse. The Project is located in Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts, about 80 km northwest of Kathmandu. With installed capacity of 60 MW, the Project will generate about 460 GWh of energy annually. Headwork lies nearly 15 km north of existing Trishuli Hydropower Station Diversion Weir.  Powerhouse is about 5 km south of the proposed headwork site. For evacuation of the power, a 48 km long 220 kV transmission line, connecting the Project to the upcoming Matatirtha Substation in Kathmandu is being planned.

 

The Detailed Project Report (DPR) of Upper Trishuli 3-A was completed in FY 2006/07. Project Development Department is currently preparing contract document for construction of the Project under Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) model. Environmental Impact Assessment Study of the Project including transmission line is in progress.

 

The Project is estimated to cost US$ 109 million. This Project will be implemented through soft loan from the Government of China. Construction work is planned to commence in 2008/09 as a part of fast track program to augment the generation capacity of NEA. The Project is scheduled to be commissioned by year 2011.

Schematic Layout of structures of Upper Trishuli 3- A Hydroelectric Project.

Upper Trishuli 3-B Hydroelectric Project

Upper Trishuli 3-B Hydroelectric Project, located in Nuwakot district, about 75 km northwest of Kathmandu, is a cascade development of Upper Trishuli 3-A Hydroelectric Project. So the Project shares most of the infrastructures, such as access road, transmission line, headwork, and desanding basin of Upper Trishuli 3-A Hydroelectric Project. The intake site is located at Simle near the tailrace outlet of Upper Trishuli 3-A Hydroelectric Project. Powerhouse site is located about 3 km south of intake site. The Project comprises of a head-pond, 3 km long headrace tunnel, surge tank, inclined shaft, pressure tunnel and a surface powerhouse as major structures. Powerhouse is equipped with two units of Francis turbines. With 40 MW as the installed capacity, the Project will generate about 296 GWh of energy annually. The Department has recently accomplished preparation of the Detailed Project Draft Report for this Project. The Project is estimated to cost US$ 68 million. NEA plans to raise the required fund for the Project through local resources. The Project is expected to be commissioned in year 2013.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Powerhouse area of Upper Trishuli 3-B Hydroelectric Project.

Rahughat Hydroelectric Project

Rahughat Hydroelectric Project is a run-of-river scheme with 6 km long headrace tunnel and a surface powerhouse. The Project is located in Myagdi district, about 83 km west of Pokhara. With installed capacity of 30 MW, the Project will generate about 186 GWh of energy annually. Beni-Jomson road passes through the powerhouse site and about 12 km of additional road is required to be built to access the headwork site. For evacuation of the power, a 28 km long 132 kV transmission line, connecting the Project to the Modi Khola Hydroelectric Project switchyard is being planned. The Department has completed the upgraded feasibility study of the Project. Cost of the Project is estimated at US$ 66 million. The Line of Credit facility provided by the Government of India through Export Import (EXIM) Bank of India will be utilized to implement the Project. The Project is expected to be commissioned in year 2013.

 

Proposed Headwork site of Rahughat Hydroelectric Project.

Upper Seti Storage Project

Upper Seti Storage Project will have an installed capacity of 128 MW and average annual energy generation of 476 GWh. The Project comprises of a 140 m high concrete dam in Seti river near Damauli, 195 m long penstock, an underground powerhouse and ancillary structures. Power evacuation will be effected through a 40 km long 220 kV transmission line to the upcoming New Bharatpur Substation. With construction period of 5 years, the Project is estimated to cost US $ 328 million.

 

NEA is currently undertaking Environmental Impact Assessment study for the transmission line and hydrological and sediment study. NEA has completed the Upgrading Feasibility Study of Upper Seti (Damauli) Storage Project under the Technical Assistance from Japanese Government through JICA in 2006/07. NEA is considering various options for financing the Project.

 

Cross Border Transmission Line Survey

During the year in review, Project Development Department carried out detailed survey for Dhalkebar- Bhittamod (39 km) section of Dhalkebar-Mujaffarpur 400 kV Cross Border Transmission Lines which is one of the three cross border transmission lines proposed to be built under especial purpose companies  to facilitate the power trading between Nepal and India. Detailed topographical survey of 25.80 km long Duhabi � Jogbani and 20.40 km long Butwal � Sunauli 400 kV Transmission Lines were completed in the FY 2006/07.

 

Feasibility Study of Nalsyagu Gad Storage Project

The feasibility study of Nalsyagu Gad Storage Project (400 MW) is being carried out by this Department from FY 2007/08. The Project is located in Jajarkot District in the Mid-western Development Region. An access road of approximately 30 km length is required to reach the powerhouse site from the district head quarter.  Additional 20 km long road is required to be built to access other components of the Project.

 

As per the pre-feasibility study, the Project comprises of a 189 m high rockfill dam, 7 km long concrete lined head-race tunnel, surge tank, inclined shaft and a surface powerhouse as major project components. The Project will be connected to the National Grid through a 105 km long 220 kV double circuit transmission line to Kohalpur Substation. Total Project is estimated to cost US$ 539 million. As the first part of feasibility study, hydrological study and topographic survey works are initiated in FY 2007/08. The study is scheduled to be completed by the end of FY 2009/10.

 

Proposed dam site of Nalsyagu Gad Storage Project.

Project Identification Study

Project Identification study is aimed at producing an updated project inventory for future development purpose. Two medium scale hydroelectric projects, namely Upper Tamakoshi-A and Upper Rahughat, were identified and their preliminary studies were completed in FY 2007/08.

 

Upper Tamakoshi-A Hydroelectric Project is located at the northern part of Dolakha district. Nine km of road will be required to be built to access this Project from the headwork site of Upper Tamakoshi Hydroelectric Project. This will be a conventional run-of-river type of project with installed capacity 45 MW. Average annual generation is estimated at 227 GWh. Power evacuation will be effected through a 9 km long single circuit 132 KV transmission line, linking this Project with the Upper Takamoshi Hydroelectric Project. Estimated cost of Project is US$ 63 million.

 

Upper Rahughat Hydroelectric Project is located in Myagdi district, about 92 km Northwest of Pokhara. About 9 km of road is required for accessing the Project from the dam site of Rahughat Hydroelectric Project. This will be a run-of-river type of project with installed capacity 32 MW. The Project will generate about 201 GWh annually. For power evacuation, a 10 km long single circuit 132 KV Transmission Line connecting this Project with Rahughat Hydroelectric Project switchyard will be required to be built. The Project is estimated to cost US$ 52 million.

 

Other Activities:

Other activities carried out in FY 2007/08 by Project Development Department are:

�         Construction supervision of the Chameliya Gad Hydroelectric project in association with J/V of local consulting firms: Shah, SILT and ICON.

�         Detailed topographical survey of 82 km long Kabeli-Damak 132 kV Transmission Line.

�         Construction drawing preparation for Kulekhani III Hydroelectric Project.

�         Sediment Survey at Kulekhani reservoir.

�         Design of staff quarters at Nuwakot, Dhading and Lalitpur for Distribution and Rural Electrification Project.

�         Design Review and preparation of tender document for Galwa Gad Small Hydroelectric Project.

Environmental and Social Studies Department

Environmental and Social Studies Department executes activities related to the environmental aspects of all projects undertaken by NEA. Environmental studies were pioneered in Nepal by NEA in 1987 by establishing Environmental Unit. This cell has now developed into a full-fledged commercial Department and is working in close association with national and international consulting companies in undertaking Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Initial Environmental Examination (IEE), monitoring and implementing mitigation measures and environmental auditing of hydroelectric, transmission line and distribution line projects.

In FY 2007/08, the Department obtained EIA approval for Hetauda�Bardaghat 220 kV Transmission Line project,  prepared Scoping Document and Terms of Reference of the prioritised cross-border 400 kV Duhabi�Jogbani and Butwal� Sunauli Transmission Line  and Dumre�Damauli 132 kV Transmission Line Projects. The Department has recently started implementation of environmental monitoring and mitigation program of Chameliya Hydroelectric Project and Khimti�Dalkebar 220 kV Transmission Line Project. Furthermore, the Department is undertaken the following assignments in FY 2007/08:

�                     Environmental Impact Assessment study of Upper Trishuli 3-A, Upper Trishuli 3-B and Rahughat Hydroelectric Projects;

�                     Quarterly monitoring of air, noise and water quality of Middle Marsyandi Hydroelectric Project;

�                     Environmental Impact Assessment study of Dhalkebar-Bhittamod, Duhabi-Jogbani, and Butwal-Sunauli 400 kV Cross-Border Transmission Line projects;

�                     Environmental Impact Assessment study of Upper Trishuli 3-A � Thankot 220 kV, Bharatpur�Damauli 220 kV and Dumre�Damauli 132 kV Transmission Line projects.

�                     Initial Environmental Examination of Anbu Khairani 132 kV and Kulekhani III 132 kV Transmission Line projects.

 

 

Monitoring Air and Noise quality in Middle Marsyangdi Hydroelectric Project.                                  

 

Soil, Rock and Concrete Laboratory

Soil, Rock and Concrete Laboratory (SRCL) provides services in material testing, geological and geotechnical engineering, topographic surveying at the different phases of a hydroelectric project development.

The Laboratory provides the services like geological mapping, geophysical exploration, core drilling and seismic refraction survey. In the field of soil and rock engineering, it provides services like construction material investigation, in-situ test, determination of index properties, tri-axial test, consolidation test, point load test, direct shear, uniaxial compressive strength on regular basis for NEA and for the clients outside NEA. The Laboratory also provides geotechnical design including rock support pattern for underground and surface structures. Concrete quality test, mix design and topographic survey are few other services provided to NEA and private sector at different levels.

From this year, Soil, Rock and Concrete Laboratory has procured CS10 Drill Rig for deep drilling up to 550 m. SRCL is the first and the only institution to provide this deep drilling service in Nepal. The following works were undertaken by this Laboratory in FY 2007/08:

�         Surface geological mapping and core Drilling of Rahughat Hydroelectric Project in Myagdi;

�         Deep core drilling for Upper Tamakoshi Hydroelectric Project;

�         Seismic Refraction survey and topographic survey for Upper Tamakoshi Hydroelectric Project;

�         Core drilling at Sunkoshi storage cum diversion scheme in Okhaldhunga for Sapta Koshi Multipurpose Project;

�         Concrete mix design and various tests on rock, soil and concrete for various private parties;

�         Seismic refraction survey and Core Drilling at Tamakoshi 2 Hydroelectric Project and Tamakoshi 3 Hydroelectric Project for SN Power Holdings Singapore Pte. Ltd.

NEA Training Center

NEA Training Center (NEA�TC), established in FY 1988/89 (2045/46) with World Bank assistance, has been providing need-based short term training to the staff of the NEA and IPPs. In FY 2007/08, NEA�TC conducted 58 different training programs participated by a total of 1,198 trainees, including trainees from Himal Power Ltd. and Chilime Hydropower Company Ltd.

 

Shortage of qualified and competent manpower could present itself as a serious obstacle in the realization of the government's commitment to develop hydropower potential of Nepal. Giving due consideration to this fact, NEA has proposed to upgrade and further develop the NEA Training Center and transform it into a center of excellence for enhancing the capability of technicians and professionals in the field of hydropower engineering and management. For this purpose a request has been made to the Government of Republic of Korea through GoN for assistance.

 

Discussions are also being held with Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) of Thailand Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) to explore the possibility of their participation in NEA-TC's training programs.

Electromechanical Design Division

Electromechanical Design Division provides inputs on electromechanical components for various hydropower project studies conducted by Engineering Services. Besides this regular task, this Division has completed preliminary design and preparation of tender documents for 131 km long Chameliya� Attariya 132 kV transmission line for Chameliya Hydroelectric Project in FY 2007/08. The Division is currently conducting project identification and feasibility study for transmission system development and a techno feasibility study for electrification of 13 VDCs in Nawalparasi district. The Division is also undertaking power evacuation studies for IPP projects.

Central Workshop

Central Workshop at Hetauda undertakes maintenance work of power transformers and distribution transformers for NEA and other institutions. It also rents out heavy construction equipment to different parties. In FY 2007/08, this Workshop has carried out maintenance work of about 200 transformers ranging from 15 kVA to 12,000 kVA ratings.

Concrete Pole Plants

Concrete Pole Plants at Amlekhgunj and Kotre (near Pokhara) produce pre-stressed concrete (PSC) poles of different length for NEA and other customers. In FY 2007/08, the Amlekhgunj plant produced about 10,600 units of PSC poles of 8 m, 9 m and 11 m length. In the same FY, the Kotre plant produced 1,492 units of PSC poles of 8 m and 10.4 m length.