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The Kulekhani Hydropower Project is Nepal’s only reservoir-based hydropower system, located on the Kulekhani River in Indrasarowar Rural Municipality, Makwanpur District, Bagmati Province. It comprises three plants—Kulekhani I (60 MW), Kulekhani II (32 MW), and Kulekhani III (14 MW)—totalling an installed capacity of 106 MW. Developed and operated by the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), the project uses water from the 114 m high Kulekhani Dam, which creates the Indra Sarobar Reservoir with a total storage capacity of 85.3 million m³. Kulekhani I, commissioned in 1982, is powered by two 30 MW Pelton turbines using a 550 m net head via a 5.8 km tunnel and 1.34 km penstock. Kulekhani II, a cascade plant, was commissioned in 1986. Kulekhani III, a 14 MW extension, faced commissioning delays beyond the planned 2015 COD. The US$117.84 million investment was co-financed by the World Bank, Kuwait Fund, UNDP, OECF (Japan), and the OPEC Fund. It operates under a public model, owned by NEA. This unique storage-based project enhances dry-season grid reliability and exemplifies multi-donor financing in Nepal’s hydropower development
| Catchment Area | 126km2 |
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| Design Discharge | 12.1 m3/sec |
| Maximum Gross Head | 550m |
| Diversion Height | 114m |
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| Diversion Length | 406m |
| Headrace Tunnel-Length | 6,233m |
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| Penstock- Length | 1324m |
| Penstock-Diameter | 2.0-1.5m |
| Type | Vertical Shaft Pelton |
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| Number of Units | 2 |
| Rated Capacity | 31 MW |
| Rated Capacity | 35 MVA |
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| Number of Units | 2 (35 MVA, 11/66 kV) |
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Application for Survey License
Survey License Approved
Application for Generation License
Under Construction
Live