Earthquake in Nepal Damages Hydroelectric Facilities

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Earthquake in Nepal Damages Hydroelectric Facilities

A massive 7.9 magnitude earthquake that originated in Kathmandu, Nepal, on April 25, may have caused significant damage to hydroelectric facilities and additional power producing infrastructure, according to published reports

More than of 3,726 people are confirmed dead and more than 6,500 were injured in the quake, the Nepalese government said on Monday.

"Highways and roads have suffered structural damage, and we do not know what kind of structural damage Nepal's numerous hydropower dams and generators have endured," said Mukesh Khanal, in speaking with Quartz India. Khanal is an economist who works in the international development sector in Nepal.

"Officials will eventually go and check them, but I fear huge damage," he said. "They will have to be torn down and rebuilt, which means reduced electricity production for some years. So, I see great challenges for the government and the economy in the coming days."

Two of Nepal's largesthydroelectric facilities, 144-MW Kaligandaki hydroelectric power station and 22.1-MW Chilime hydropower plant, may have been affected according to news reports from the area.

Officials will not know theextent of damage, if any, until they are able to conduct inspections.

Kaligandaki is about 187 mi west of Kathmandu near Mirmi in the district of Syangja District and Chilime is in the district of Rasuwa, which is 83 mi north of Kathmandu.

Kaligandaki's dam and headworks are situated on the Gandaki River at the confluence of the Andhikhola and its powerhouse, which contains three 48 MW Francis turbine-generators is in Beltari. A headrace tunnel, 3.7 miles-in-length, connects the catchment area to the power station.

Therun-of-river projectis currently the largest power plant of any kind in Nepal.

Chilime hydropower plant is also a run-of-river facility and its headworks are located near Chilime. Chilime has an underground power plant located about 2.8 mi southwest on the Bhotekoshi river.

Nepal has 600 MW of installed capacity in its Integrated Nepal Power System (INPS), according to Independent Power Producers' Association, Nepal (IPPAN).

Source: Hydroworld

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