Lower Tadi Hydropower Project

About

The Lower Tadi Khola Hydropower Project is a 4.993 MW (commonly rounded to 5 MW) run-of-river plant located in the Nuwakot District of the Central Region, Nepal. Developed by Buddha Bhumi Nepal Hydropower Co. Pvt. Ltd., the project utilizes the flow of the Tadi Khola with a design discharge of 6.88 m³/s and a net head of 87.78 meters. The plant was commissioned and began commercial operation on March 24, 2022. The project infrastructure includes an overflow-type diversion weir with undersluices, a Dufour-type desilting basin, a 40-meter rectangular RCC approach canal, and a 3,000-meter-long steel headrace pipe. After bifurcation, two 15-meter pipes (Ø1.85 m) lead to a surface powerhouse with two horizontal-axis Francis turbines. A 3 km, 33 kV single-circuit transmission line connects the plant to the NEA substation at Samundratar. Estimated to generate 32.119 GWh annually (7.442 GWh in dry and 24.677 GWh in wet seasons), the project is financed on a 65:35 debt–equity ratio and cost NPR 1.19 billion. The generation license is valid until 2104-12-26 BS. Originally incorporated in 2007 as a private company, it was converted to a public limited company in 2017.