The Bhutanese Leading the way.
The Druk Green Power Corporation Ltd (DGPC), the country’s hydropower generating company, will have its own corporate office by October 2018.
The construction of the office began in Babesa earlier this year near the road going up to the botanical gardens.
Druk Green, established in January 2008, decided to build its own office considering the huge size of its operations ranging from overseeing the operation and maintenance of the existing power plants. “It is important for all of Druk Green’s Corporate Office functions to operate seamlessly from a centralized location,” said the Managing Director of DGPC, Dasho Chhewang Rinzin.
The construction of the mail civil structures was started in April 2017. The electrical and plumbing, interior design, and landscaping and site development packages will be contracted out separately. The Corporate Office is expected to be completed within 30 months.
“Its design incorporates Bhutanese architecture on the outside while on the inside, the Corporate Office will be installed with modern amenities as any other new office space in Bhutan” Dasho Chhewang said adding that the four storeyed Corporate Office on completion will have a total plinth area coverage of about 2,320 m2 including two basement levels for parking.
The Corporate Office building is estimated to cost Nu. 400 million where the first package of main civil structures has been awarded at a contract value of Nu 143 million. The contracts for the other packages which include electrical and plumbing works, interior design works and landscaping and site development works will be awarded in keeping with the schedule for the main civil structures.
“There was thinking at one time that the Corporate Office could be located outside of Thimphu to decongest the capital,” said Dasho Chhewang Rinzin. However, based on the need for Druk Green to constantly work and interact very closely with DHI, its shareholder, and with the Government on all aspects of plans, policies, and investments in the vital power sector agencies from outside of Bhutan he said it was decided to locate the Corporate Office in Thimphu.
Currently Druk Green has some 1,616 employees which includes all regular, contract and consolidated where more than 140 are on deputation to projects and subsidiary companies of Druk Green. “Most employees at the Corporate Office are transferred from the power plants and projects as and when there are requirements at the Corporate Office,” he said.
Some challenges faced initially was during the excavation for the foundation of the building, which is lower than usual due to the two basements for parking. There was also slippage from the IT Park side of the site, which is being stabilized. “Once the foundation works are started, no other challenges are anticipated,” he said.
