The Bhutanese Leading the way.
The micro hydropower projects at 4000m above sea level will electrify 112 households
With an Austrian financial aid of 1.8mn euro, the government is moving ahead with plans construct two micro hydro -power projects at the remote gewogs of Soe and Lingzhi under Thimphu dzongkhag.
The construction of the 100kw and 50kw plants expected to take place within the 10th Plan . The projects will light 112 households in these gewogs where nomadic yak herders reside.
A study revealed the cost of electrification for Soe and Lingzhi will rise up to Nu 113mn. This means the government will spend abaout Nu 1mn for every household. The cost factor forced the government to hold the project until the Austrian government stepped in.
“The Department of Renewable Energy of the economic affairs ministry conducted the earlier studies and went ahead by floating tenders for the projects. But there weren’t many contractors who turned up,” said the chief engineer of the Department of Renewable Energy, Mewang Gyeltshen.
Setting up a power project at an altitude of about 4000m above sea level is a challenge. The difficulties include inaccessibility and rough working conditions .
The Soe gup told The Bhutanese that people are eagerly waiting for the project to start. In Soe the micro hydropower project will be built on Jangothang river that emerges from Jumolhari. And the the Lingzhi’s project will be constructed on gangyul Chu.
Leki Dorji of Bhutan Engineering, an interested bidder, said his engineers will first study the feasibility of the projects.
