Deal signed to build access road to Arun-III hydro project

Kathmandu January 6- The Department of Roads and Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN) Arun-III Power Development Company have contracted on constructing a 28.69 km access road between Chyankuti and Diding to 900MW power project in Arun river of Shankhuwasavha district. 

Gopal Prasad Sigdel of the Department of Roads and Roshan Lal Negi, CEO of SJVN Arun-3 Power Development Company, signed the agreement in the presence of Sankhuwasabha lawmakers Tara Man Gurung and Deepak Khadka on Tuesday. 

Speaking on the occasion, Negi said the company would do everything in its power to complete the project at the earliest and urged the government to help it in the land acquisition process for the mega project.

The Investment Board Nepal (IBN) and Indian power developer SJVNL had signed the Project Development Agreement (PDA) to build the 900MW project on the sidelines of the Saarc Summit. The Rs104-billion project is expected to start power generation by 2020. According to the IBN, Nepal is set to receive Rs348 billion from the project over 25 years. On top of Rs107 billion in royalty fees, Satluj will provide 21.9 percent of the power worth Rs 155 billion free to Nepal.