Author: PPD Team Date: 20/01/2025
Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd. (IREDA) has finalized a joint venture agreement with SJVN Ltd., GMR Energy Ltd., and Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) to develop the 900 MW Upper Karnali Hydroelectric Project in Nepal.
The agreement outlines a framework for project development, construction, operation, and maintenance under a Build-Own-Operate-Transfer (BOOT) model. The project will operate for 25 years from the Commercial Operation Date (CoD).
The agreement was formalized in New Delhi today in the presence of senior officials from IREDA, SJVN, and GMR Energy Ltd. Shri Pradip Kumar Das, CMD of IREDA, highlighted the project’s significance, stating it exemplifies cross-border collaboration and sustainable energy development.
About Upper Karnali Hydroelectric Project:
The 900 MW run-of-the-river project is being developed on the Karnali River in Nepal to supply power to Nepal, India, and Bangladesh for a contracted period of 25 years. It is being developed by GMR Upper Karnali Hydro Power Limited (GUKHL), a subsidiary of GMR Group India, in collaboration with Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) and SJVN Green Energy.
It is expected to generate 3,466 million units of electricity annually, offsetting approximately two million tons of greenhouse gas emissions each year.
Key features include a concrete gravity dam, headrace tunnels, fish pass, feeder tunnels, surge and pressure shafts, silt flushing tunnels, and eight turbines, each with a 112.5 MW capacity. Construction is slated to begin in 2027, with commercial operations expected by 2031.