Yesterday’s Flash Flood Forces Complete Shutdown of Upper Machhakhola Hydropower Project

Operation at the 4.55 MW Upper Machhakhola Small Hydropower Project has been completely halted following severe damage caused by a sudden flash flood in the Budhigandaki River on Friday morning Ashwin 25, 2081. The project, operated by Bikash Hydropower Company Limited, suffered heavy damage to its power transmission lines during the sudden flood surge.

According to the company, the extent of the total damage is still being evaluated. Due to uncertainties regarding the scale of repair work, time required, and safety checks, officials confirmed that power generation and project operations have been suspended for an indefinite period.

The company highlighted that carrying out repair work and restoring power production will be particularly challenging due to the upcoming Dashain festival, which impacts manpower availability and material logistics. Despite these challenges, Bikash Hydropower Company assured that detailed assessments are underway and necessary repair efforts will be initiated as quickly as possible to safely restart operations.