Govt to upgrade Upper Trishuli 3A

KATHMANDU, JAN 04 -

Despite strong opposition, the government on Thursday decided to upgrade the capacity of Upper Trishuli 3A Hydropower Project. The Cabinet meeting on Thursday evening endorsed the Ministry of Energy (MoE)'s proposal of upgrading capacity of Upper Trishuli 3A. "The Cabinet meeting has given the nod to upgrade the project from 60 MW to 90 MW," said Finance Minister Barsha Man Pun. 

Both PM Baburam Bhattarai and Energy Secretary Hari Ram Koirala have been making efforts to upgrade the project's capacity as per the interest of the Chinese contractor--China Gezhouba Group Co Ltd. Two weeks ago, the Ministry of Energy had decided to upgrade the project through a ministry-level decision despite PM Bhattarai assuring former finance and energy ministers that he would take a decision with their consensus. PM Bhattarai is also looking after the energy portfolio.

Around a month ago, former finance ministers Surendra Pandey, Ram Saran Mahat and Prakash Chandra Lohani, and three former energy ministers, Prakash Sharan Mahat, Pradeep Nepal and Gokarna Bista had slammed the government's move to upgrade Upper Trishuli 3A terming it "illegal, inappropriate and guided by vested interests". They had requested President Ram Baran Yadav him to halt the upgrading procedure.

The proposed upgradation will require an additional investment of Rs 4 billion. According to the NEA, the Chinese contractor has already increased the cost for the upgradation.

Source: The Kathmandu Post