Rahughat Hydroelectricity Project Achieves Tunnel Breakthrough

The main tunnel of the Rahughat Hydroelectricity Project achieved a significant milestone on Tuesday with a breakthrough in its construction. The 40-megawatt capacity project, located in Raghuganga Rural Municipality of Myagdi district, is a subsidiary of the Nepal Electricity Authority, with Raghuganga Hydropower as its promoter.

The main tunnel, spanning 6,270 meters, begins at the dam at the base of Dagnam in Raghuganga Rural Municipality-4 and concludes at Tilkenichaur in Raghuganga Rural Municipality-3, according to the project’s Managing Director, Ganesh KC. The breakthrough was achieved by dividing the tunnel into four segments, or audits.

Raghuganga Rural Municipality Chairman Bhawa Bahadur Bhandari and Managing Director KC jointly marked the breakthrough by pushing a switch in the 2,332-meter section of the tunnel that links the dam and Audit No. 2 at Agherikhola. The construction has also seen 875 meters dug from Audit 1 and 1,458 meters from Audit 2, with lining works ongoing for the 3,836 meters of the previously completed Audit 2 and 3 tunnels that saw breakthroughs last March.

Chairman Bhandari expressed his satisfaction with the completion of the tunnel construction, noting that it is a crucial component of the project. He highlighted the rural municipality's role in facilitating and coordinating the project’s efforts.

The Rahughat Hydroelectricity Project is being developed with a concessional loan of USD 67 million from the Indian EXIM (Export-Import) Bank, alongside joint investments from the Nepal Electricity Authority and the Government of Nepal. The contract agreement for the construction was signed with civil contractors Jaiprakash Associates (JP) in 2074 BS.