Pikhuwa Khola Hydropower Project

About

The Pikhuwa Khola Hydropower Project is a 5 MW run-of-river hydropower plant located in Bhojpur District, Koshi Province, Nepal. Operational since June 10, 2019 (2076-02-27 BS), the project harnesses the flow of the Pikhuwa River with a gross head of approximately 119.3 meters and a design discharge of 5.60 cubic meters per second. It employs a gravity dam/weir for water diversion and features a conventional two-chamber settling basin. The power is connected to Nepal’s national grid and sold under a Power Purchase Agreement with the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA). Developed by Eastern Hydropower Private Limited, now a public limited company since 2017, the project was partially financed through an IPO raising NPR 124 million. The project follows a BOOT (Build-Own-Operate-Transfer) model, with license expiry expected in December 2025, after which ownership transfers to the government. Environmental and forestry permits have been secured, ensuring compliance with regulations. The estimated project cost was approximately NPR 1.30 billion (~USD 10 million).