KATHMANDU: The Department of Electricity Development (DoED) has completed the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of the Lower Arun Hydropower Project.
The department, after completing the EIA report of the project, has sought suggestion from stakeholders. The report states that the Lower Arun Hydropower Project will have impact upon areas including Chichila Rural Municipality Silichong Rural Municipality, Khandbari Municipality of Sankhuwasabha district and Salpasilicho Rural Municipality of Bhojpur.
The Office of the Investment Board Nepal (OIBN) has inked agreement with SJVN, India to develop the project. The project will use a total of 131.94 hectares of land including private, government and forest lands.
The 679-megawatt Lower Arun Hydropower Project will be situated in Sankhuwasabha and Bhojpur districts of Province 1. The dam site of the project will be located at about 34 km upstream whereas the powerhouse site is 7 km upstream from Tumlingtar Airport.
Previously, a Chinese state-owned company, Power China, had expressed interest to construct the hydropower project. The Chinese company had even signed a memorandum of understanding with IBN to develop the project. However, it retracted from the project construction expressing its dissatisfaction that the government showcased the project at the Investment Summit held in March 2019.