Bheri Babai project finally begins
12 January 2015NEPAL – Tunnelling work on the Bheri Babai Diversion Multipurpose Project will begin in Q1 2015. Funding for the combined irrigation and hydropower scheme was halted three years ago amid concerns over the effect of drill and blast work on the environment.
The China Overseas Engineering Group (COVEC) has been awarded the construction contract for the headrace tunnel, which will be 12km-long and 4.2m in diameter. It was the lowest bidder at USD 90M according to project director Shiva Kumar Basnet. The total cost of the project is USD 160M.
The project will now be completed with a TBM powered by a 4MW diesel-fueled generator complex.
When complete, the project will be capable of irrigating 60,000ha. (600km2) and generate 48MW of electricity. The government is working to boost the agricultural output of Nepal, and solve a food crisis in the region.
Basnet stated, "Assured year-round irrigation is a crucial factor for the agricultural development of Nepal, where surface water is the main source of irrigation water. Despite the abundance of water resource from the numerous river systems, which is estimated to be about 225Gm2, Nepal has so far has been able to utilise less than 10 per cent for irrigation. The main reason for this under-utilisation is a lack of appropriate infrastructure to manage the huge [topographical variation]."
