Gandak Hydropower restarts generating power

BARDGHAAT, SUSTAPACHSIM, JUNE 1: Electricity generation at the Gandak Hydropower Plant in West Nawalparasi has resumed after a two-month interruption, following the restoration of water flow in the Gandak Canal.

Located in Guthisuryapura, Pratappur Rural Municipality–7, the plant restarted operations last Thursday after the water was released into the canal earlier in the week. According to Pitambar Bhusal, Chief of the Hydropower Center, although water was released last Tuesday, technical issues delayed power generation until Thursday.

Currently, only one turbine is in operation, producing up to 1.5 megawatts of electricity, which is being fed into the national power grid. Bhusal noted that the water is still murky, limiting the plant’s ability to run at full capacity.

“The water flow into the canal had been halted since the last March 10, which also forced the shutdown of electricity production from that day,” said Bhusal. The water supply had been cut off from the Gandak Barrage in Binayi Tribeni Rural Municipality of East Nawalparasi.

The Gandak Hydropower Plant, built by India in 1979 under the Nepal–India Gandak Agreement, was handed over to Nepal on August 31, 1981. Although under Nepal’s ownership, key decisions, such as the release and stoppage of water, are still largely made by the Indian side, according to Bhusal.

He explained that India’s Gorakhpur Irrigation Department in Uttar Pradesh routinely shuts off water to the canal each year for cleaning and maintenance. Despite having an installed capacity of 15 megawatts, the plant has not been able to operate at full capacity for years.

Due to outdated equipment and one turbine being out of service, the plant is currently producing only up to 4.5 megawatts of electricity. “Of the three turbines, only two are operational. One has been out of order for a long time,” Bhusal said.

He emphasized the urgent need to upgrade and modernize the plant’s equipment, which is based on decades-old technology. Currently, Nepal imports electricity from Ramnagar to the Indian state of Bihar. “Once we have sufficient water flow, we will be able to export electricity from this plant as well,” Bhusal added.