The Bhutanese Leading the way.
The troubled 1200 MW Punatsangchu I (P I) project will finally see the light of day as the all-important Technical Coordination Committee (TCC) which is comprised of senior technical experts from both countries agreed to the right bank stabilization recommendations of the Joint Technical Team of both countries.
The TCC endorsed the report and minutes of the meeting of the joint technical committee.
The TCC gave directions to the Punatsangchu Hydroelectric Project Authority (PHPA) 1 management to work out a program and schedule on how the P 1 project construction can start.
The PHPA management has been given a time of one month to come up with the plan and preparations, after which it has to report to the PHPA.
The PHPA is then expected to give the final go ahead for the preparations to start the tendering works and eventual construction is anticipated to start by the end of 2025 or early 2026 with a target to finish the dam and the right bank stabilization within 4 years.
The 26 degree slope for the right bank, while doing rectification measures, has been agreed to as proposed by Bhutan, and Bhutan has agreed to the dam construction.
The Indian side had earlier proposed a 30 degree slope, but the Bhutanese proposal of 26 degrees was agreed to, and it will now result in more overburden being removed and hence a safer right bank.
It has been learnt that things were stuck on this until Bhutan offered to pay the Nu 4 billion extra that would go due to the additional excavation required in the 26 degree slope.
The P I project is on 40 percent grant and 60 percent loan.
